Battle for the Throne
by Aquila Aqua
Summary: Second book of Aradia's Throne. Five years have passed since Aidara had fled to Wecasta and five years since Jin Kaidou continued the legacy of terror on Aradia. Now, choices must be made by friends and enemies. But when a third fraction declares its existence, they find that neither kingdom is safe. Full summary inside. Read Aradia's Throne first. Discontinued
1. Prologue

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Behold, the second book of Aradia's Throne! This chapter is only a prologue and mostly a summary of what happened in the five year gap between the two stories. Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

 **Summary**

Second book of Aradia's Throne. Five years have passed since Aidara had fled to Wecasta and five years since Jin Kaidou continued the legacy of terror on Aradia. Now, choices must be made by friends and enemies. But when a third fraction declares its existence, they find that neither kingdom is safe. Luckily, Ban and Arata finds an ally in someone they once thought as their enemy and an old friend whom they lost.

* * *

Jin's pov

Before I know it, it has been five years. Five years since I became king, five years since I lost everything. And it is all Aidara's fault!

Every day, I wonder what it would have been like if Muraku had stayed and became my biggest supporter. I wonder if I would not have been lonely had Yuuya and Jessica remained my friends. Now they don't even look at me anymore. And the woman I love, Hana, had disappeared from my life. Many times, I take out the letter Seredy sent me to see if there are any clues if she is alive or not. But it has been five years, so the chances are very unlikely. I never let anyone see the letter, not even Yuno or my grandfather.

Looking over at my sleeping wife, I softened my thoughts. Yuno was a victim in this matter much more than I am. Choosing her people over her freedom, she gained my admiration the moment I met her. Although we despise our marriage, we somehow managed to become friends and each other's confident for the past three years. I am grateful that I have at least one friend here in the palace.

At one time I thought Ban was my friend but in the end, he was only Aidara's poser, a spy and a liar. Too many times I had experienced the same feeling of betrayal where people will simply stick up to me just because I am the next in line to the throne only to leave me when I help them accomplish their dreams. To me, Ban is no different than them.

My grandfather told me to use my hate to rule the empire and that is what I am doing. Despite Yuno's protest, I often find myself approving laws for higher taxes and more military manpower. I also approve laws to start wars against neighboring kingdoms using the new supper weapon grandfather created in his time. But the only untouchable kingdom is still Wecasta.

Wecasta has strangely been able to avoid war with us by using diplomacy with our stronger enemy kingdoms and their military tactics have gotten better in the past few years. The time frame is too much of a coincidence with the time Aidara fled the empire. This convinces me that Aidara has been helping Wecasta.

Until we meet again Aidara, I will continue to make your precious people suffer!

* * *

Ban's pov

I can't believe how fast time flows as it has already been five years since we were forced to leave our home in Aradia. It feels just like yesterday we were running away from the burning palace. In these five years, Kazu and Ami had _finally_ got married, and Hiro is now courting Ran.

But some people had changed for the worst in my opinion. Hikaru has become more quiet and distant since Hikari died and who can blame him. Hikari was the only blood family he had left. Takeru managed to bury his grief in his task in his new job as the local blacksmith with Sakuya. But Asuka told me that there were times he cried in his sleep. He always liked Hikari but it was a pity she never saw it. Even if she did, she never said a word about it nor did she show any indications she knew. I know that it is because she likes Muraku.

I sighed and looked up at the stars. Muraku and his friends had mysteriously disappeared before we came to Wecasta. But now, we have a lead on his former bodyguard. Hopefully, he can shed some light on his disappearance. And maybe, just maybe, we can convince him to help us.

As for Hana, no one had seen or heard of her all these years, not even Queen Renneton's spies can find her. I am worried for her but I have faith that she is still alive even if everyone else doesn't. But I find it strange that we haven't found her after so long so I deduced that Seredy must be hiding her within his strongholds.

I know that one day, we will return to Aradia and defeat the Kaidou dynasty. Until that day comes, we will remain silent in Wecasta, looking for an opening to bring down Kaidou Yoshimitsu and Kaidou Jin, and Seredy and Bandit.


	2. Returns and birthdays

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Just to give you guys a heads up. I'm tired of trying to maintain the medival setting. So while it is still in the medival ages, some elements will not be related to it. Don't be surprise or complain if I use some elements which are not exactly part of the medival ages. (the only execption is technology)**

* * *

A dark cloaked person riding on a black horse smiled beneath his hood as he rode closer to a countryside cottage surrounded by a brick wall. "Snipper, looks like we arrived home sooner than I thought."

The horse, Snipper, tossed its mane and trotted slightly faster, making its rider chuckle. "You sure are eager to get Vanessa's potato and veggie mix." He sighed in content as he hopped off his horse and opened the gates so that it can go in.

"Muraku, you're back." Mikhail greeted him. Over the years, he had cut his hair shorter and grown a beard, much to Vanessa's amusement. But he was still very lean and strong as he was before.

Muraku pulled off his hood and smiled at his best friend. He had cut his hair by a quarter and now tied it up in a ponytail and rarely shaved which is why he now has a mustache and a beard. "Yes. It is good to be back. How is the farm life treating you?"

"Pretty good." Mikhail shrugged. "But I'm a little shorthanded since Vanessa stopped helping me after we had Mike. Kageto tries to help but he cannot come over often because he is busy with his business."

"I see. Then I'll help you since I'm not going to be leaving here anytime soon." Muraku offered.

"Thanks a lot." Mikhail smiled. "Vanessa is preparing dinner so you can help look after Mike. I'm going to find Kageto and invite him for dinner."

"Sure." Muraku led Snipper to the barn and gave it some water. "I'll be back later with dinner."

Snipper snorted and turned to the adjacent horse and struck a conversation with it. Muraku quietly left the barn and went in the cottage where he was greeted by Vanessa.

"Muraku, welcome back." She smiled warmly. Her hair length had be cut up to her mid-back and only tied into a ponytail with half of it braided. Her features had matured over the years but Muraku could see dark bags under her eyes which he guessed it was from taking care of Mike at night.

"It's good to be back Vanessa." He hugged her tightly. "Where's Mike?"

"Playing with his toys in his room." She laughed tiredly. "I had finally managed to convince him to stay in his room while I made dinner."

"I'll watch over him if you want."

"That will be great." Vanessa nodded and went over to the fireplace where a pot was hanging in there. "I suppose Kageto will be joining us then."

"He is." Muraku confirmed. "Mikhail had went to find him."

"Then it is a good thing I prepared extra then." Vanessa chuckled.

There was a squeal from the next room and the sound of tumbling footsteps rang throughout the cottage.

"Un'e Mu'ak'!" One and a half year old Mike shouted from the kitchen door.

Muraku chuckled and lifted up Mike in his arms. "How are you kid?"

"One!" Mike giggled.

Muraku tilted his head at Vanessa who only smiled. "That's his favorite word for everything."

"One! One!" Mike clapped his hands.

"Alright kid." Muraku carried him back to his room so that Vanessa can continue cooking. "Can you show me your toys?"

"Yay!" Mike cheered.

Muraku smiled as he placed Mike back on the floor so that he can show him his toys. Somehow, his mind drifted back to a certain blond-haired girl who made an impact on his life.

* * *

"Thanks for dinner Vanessa. It was good." Muraku thanked her after they were done. Mike had gone to sleep before Kageto came over so they had dinner in peace.

"Yeah, I really love your cooking." Kageto said in agreement. Over the years, he had become more muscular thanks to his job at the local forge. His hair was now cut short like Mikhail but unlike his two friends, he did not have a beard or mustache.

"You're welcome." Vanessa said and collected all the bows and cutlery to be placed in a bin and washed.

"So Muraku, did you find anything new?" Mikhail asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Muraku nodded. "I'm close to finding out the third fraction that is helping Seredy and Bandit."

"Muraku, are you sure that you want to continue this?" Vanessa asked worriedly. "They might be dangerous if they are with Seredy."

"I know, but if I don't find out the truth, Wecasta and the Kaidou Empire might end up in a war that is manipulated behind the scenes."

"But are you sure this rumor is true?" Kageto questioned him. "That Kaidou had external forces that made him take over the kingdom."

"Kaidou Yoshimitsu is not one who would easily take risk." Muraku told them patiently. "There must be something influencing his decision to take over the kingdom. I believe his lust for power is only an excuse."

Mikhail folded his hands thoughtfully in front of him and spoke, "So you think this third fraction is what made Kaidou kill the former king and queen of Aradia?"

"Yes." Muraku nodded.

"Anyway, when are you planning to leave again?" Vanessa asked to change the subject.

"As a matter of fact, I won't be leaving anytime soon." Muraku said and looked at Mikhail. "One more thing that I heard is that Wecasta knows that you are living here. It is possible they will come here in order to find me."

Mikhail and Kageto exchanged worried looks while Vanessa pursed her lips. She suddenly got up and went over to Mike's room.

"Vanessa?"

"I'm going to check on Mike." She said without looking at them.

Once she went in, Mikhail sighed. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright. I understand." Muraku said softly. "I'll go talk to her."

* * *

When Muraku entered Mike's room, he found Vanessa cradling him while sitting on the rocking chair Mikhail made for her. "Is he asleep?"

Vanessa looked up and nodded. "Yeah." She placed Mike back in his crib and gestured for Muraku to follow her outside. Once the door closed behind them, Vanessa took a deep breath. "Muraku, I know that all of us agreed to stick by your side until the end but right now, my first priority is to protect Mike. I know that if I were to make a choice between my own child and you…"

"It's alright Vanessa." Muraku interrupted. "I understand. I'm not asking you to neglect Mike in favor for me."

Vanessa blinked in surprise and smiled. "I'm not finish. If I were to make a choice between you and my own child, I would choose Mike, yes, but at the same time, I would choose you."

This time, Muraku blinked in surprise and Vanessa continued her speech, "You were always my brother in palace and never saw me as another servant, but as a friend. That's why, no matter what happens, I'm going to stick by your side while protecting Mike."

Muraku was speechless for a few seconds and pulled Vanessa into a hug. "Thank you."

* * *

"Happy birthday, Arata." Ban greeted his brother during the large dinner Ami and Ran cooked up for Arata's birthday.

Arata blushed and ducked his head. "Thanks."

"May your years be filled with joy." Sakuya toasted his drink.

"And may you find a girl you like soon." Kazu said teasingly.

"Kazu!" Arata cried indignantly.

"But he has a point." Ban said nonchalantly. "I'm looking forward to the day you stand in front of the altar."

Everyone burst out laught while Arata's face became redder. "I could say the same thing for you! You don't even take notice of any girl at all!"

"I have my reasons." Ban said with a mysterious smile.

"Yeah right." Arata snorted. "So what do have planned out for tomorrow?"

Ban's smile dropped and exchanged glances with Kazu and Ami who nodded. "I have some matters to take care of in Machila. We have reports on Muraku's former bodyguard living in the outskirts there so I'm going to see if it is true." Arata stiffened while Hikaru became quiet and clench his fist, an action that was not missed by Ban.

"How long will you be gone?" Haruki asked careful while observing Hikaru too.

"Probably a while. I'm just going to see if the reports are true, probably talk to him and then come back."

"You're not going to bring him back here?" Gouda asked in surprise.

"No." Ban shook his head. "My point of visiting is not to threaten him but to ask him to tell Muraku I want to see him again just for once. Also, I don't want anyone to follow me."

"Won't that be dangerous?" Arata frowned.

"No." Ban simply said. "The real danger in going there in numbers. If there are more people coming with me, they will interpret it as a threat."

"That's true." Ami nodded in agreement.

"In the meantime, while I am gone, Arata, Queen Renneton has something she wants to discuss with you." Ban told his brother neutrally.

Arata blinked in surprise while Kazu and Ami exchanged silent frowns. Ban had told them all about it and they were not sure how they should react to this, let alone how Arata would feel about this when Queen Renneton told him the next day.

"Also, I want every one of you to be on high alert." Ban continued. "Go through your usual routine but be careful when you patrol the mountain. Rumor has it that Kaidou Jin's next target is Wecasta."

Everyone became grim when they thought about the current king of Aradia. Jin was no better than his grandfather and it only fueled their determination to see that Ban becomes the rightful king of Aradia.

* * *

Machila- A neutral country with beautiful forests and fields. Current residence of Mikhail, Vanessa and Kageto.


	3. Heirs

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

* * *

'Just another _lovely_ day at the court.' Jin thought sarcastically as he continued to pretend to be listening to two of his advisors squabble about the right way to build a dam. Finally, his patience snapped and he slammed his fist on the throne arm. "Enough!"

Everyone immediately quiet down, including the two bickering advisors. Jin however was not done. "Stop arguing like five year old children or I will personally see that your houses be turned into rubble!"

Everyone trembled at Jin's threat and silently nodded. Jin sighed and waved everyone out of the throne room, eager to have some peace and quiet to himself. But his quietness was broken when Yoshimitsu Kaidou entered the throne room. He quickly straightened up and stood up. "Grandfather."

"Jin, why did you dismiss the court this early?" His grandfather asked with some slight irritation.

"There was nothing important to discuss." Jin said dismissively.

"Even so, you must constantly be on guard." Yoshimitsu scolded him. "Aidara may be gone for now but if they find Muraku before we do, there will be a lot of problems from here onwards."

Jin clenched his jaw. He did not want to break his word to Muraku and leave him alone but he had to agree with his grandfather. Muraku would be a dangerous asset to Aidara if he ever chose to side with them which Jin was positively sure that he would.

He took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded. "My spies have found Mikhail Rouke's current residence. Muraku is bound to show up there sooner or later which is why I have sent Sir Kamiya to keep an eye on the place and if Muraku does show up, he will use any means necessary to bring him here."

"And what will you do with him then?"

"I will throw him in the dungeons." Jin said in a low voice.

Yoshimitsu nodded in approval. "Good. That will stop him from joining Aidara and teach him a lesson on defecting on us." He turned to leave but stopped mid-way. "You and Queen Yuno better produce an heir soon or the alliance will fall apart."

Jin did not say a word but once his grandfather left the throne room, he pounded his fist on the throne arm. He wished that he could avoid that and freely find Hana. Sadly, he couldn't or his grandfather would find out about her.

"Just where are you?" He asked himself. He stayed in the throne room for a few more minutes before heading back to his room. Yuno was not around as she was arriving back from Odela that evening after visiting her father but Hanako stayed behind to take care of her things there. She quickly bowed when he entered and he returned it with a nod.

"Good afternoon your highness." Hanako said nervously.

"Hanako, can you please leave?" Jin requested. "I want to be alone for a while. And when Yuno comes back, ask her to come straight here as there is something I want to talk to her."

"Of course." Hanako bowed and quickly left. One thing Jin liked about her is her efficiency in getting her work done and she is not one to pry or chatter endlessly like Catherin or having a mysterious aura like Kiyoka and her brother. It was not half an hour later when someone tapped on the door.

Jin silently groaned and went to answer it. Much to his surprise, it was Yuno who was outside.

"Yuno? I thought you were supposed to be back by this evening."

"We went a little faster since we were afraid that if we did not hurry, it would get dark soon and we would be vulnerable to robbers like Bandit." Yuno explained cheerfully and stepped inside the room while her handmaidens and bodyguard waited outside.

Jin unconsciously gritted his teeth at the mention of Bandit but he quickly hid it. "So how is your father?"

"He is doing well but…" Yuno trailed off as she hesitated to continue. Jin guessed what she wanted to say though.

"He is also pressing for an heir, isn't he?"

"So your grandfather also told you that." Yuno sighed. "Personally, I am not too fond of the idea."

"Me either." Jin admitted. "I like the way things are between us and I would like to keep it that way."

"I know." Yuno nodded in agreement and sat down in front of her vanity. "But we are going to have to come up with something if we want to please them."

"Let me think about it." Jin sighed. "There has got to be a way around this."

"You know, I have been reading about the Empire's laws and I found one where if the king has a child with someone who is not the queen, the queen will immediately be deposited and the woman bearing the king's child will be installed in her place." Yuno said thoughtfully.

Jin jerked his head at her. "You are not saying…"

"It was just a thought." Yuno said hastily. "If you could find Hana, she could help us."

"That will be impossible." Jin shook his head. "She would rather die than to give the Kaidou Empire an heir. She was a rebel, remember? And also, even if I did find her, there is no guaranty that she still loves me after everything I did."

"I'm sorry." Yuno said quietly. "But at the same time, what are we going to do?"

"Don't worry." Jin assured her by putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I will think of something…I hope."

* * *

Arata mulled over Ban's words from last night as he rode over to the palace with Hikaru behind him. The ride had been silent the whole time since Hikaru was not the type to start a conversation and Arata just wanted to think.

"Arata." Hikaru suddenly spoke up. "Don't you think we should be with Ban instead of here?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons." Arata said evasively. "But don't deny it that you wanted to follow Ban so that you can have revenge on Muraku for Hikari."

Hikaru's head shot up with a heated glare at him. "So what?"

Arata sighed and slowed down his horse slightly so that he was right beside Hikaru. "Would revenge help you? Hikari will be disappointed if she knew about your vengeful heart."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Hikaru demanded.

"You could start by following Hikari's attitude." Arata said quietly. "Forgive him. Besides, the real culprit is Yoshimitsu Kaidou, not Muraku. If he had not poisoned her, she would have survived that blow."

Hikaru ran Arata's words around his head but sighed. "I can't. She was the only family I had left."

"I know but give it some thought." Arata said softly. "Hikari does not want to see you beating yourself up because of her death."

They rode on without another word until they reached the palace. Despite being familiar with Ban and Arata, the guards at the gates stopped them out of habit. "State your business."

"I am here to see Queen Renneton at her request." Arata told him.

The guard nodded and let them enter. At the courtyard, Yuusuke was already waiting for them. "Good afternoon, Arata, Hikaru."

"Good afternoon, Yuusuke." Arata greeted back. "I came here as Ban told me to."

"Alright. But I am going to have to ask for Hikaru to wait here." Yuusuke told them. "The queen has stressed that this is an important meeting that should be private and confidential."

"That is fine with me." Hikaru consented and turned to Arata. "I will be waiting with the horses."

"Ok." Arata nodded and followed Yuusuke inside.

* * *

"Arata, I am glad that you can make it on a short notice." Queen Renneton greeted him.

"It is fine your majesty." Arata bowed. "I had nothing planned for today anyway."

Queen Renneton turned to Yuusuke and gestured for him to leave them alone which he did. "I asked for you here today is for an important decision."

"What decision?"

"As you already know, I don't have no heir to the throne of Wecasta." Queen Renneton began. "So that means that the throne will be passed down to my closest kin."

"And may I ask what does that have to do with me?" Arata asked uneasily.

"When you were born, your father chose me to be your godmother." She explained slowly. "That makes you my closest kin."

Arata's mouth dropped wide open and quickly shook his head. "You are asking me to be the next ruler of Wecasta?!"

"Yes. But don't worry if you do not want to." The queen assured him. "I plan to merge Wecasta with Aradia if you chose to decline the throne."

Arata shook his head. "I am sorry but I really must decline. I never once thought of taking up the role of a ruler because that is what Ban is supposed to be. Also, I'm not fit to be a ruler at all. I am satisfied with my current role as his strategy planner."

"Alright, if you are happy with it, then I will not push you to accepting my throne." Queen Renneton resigned with some disappointment. "But do not sell yourself short of Ban. You would have been a successful ruler if you did accept the offer."

"Thank you." Arata said awkwardly and bowed. "If you would excuse me then." He quickly left and headed for the courtyard where Hikaru was waiting for him.

Yuusuke came back in and took in Queen Renneton's disappointed look. "I take it that he declined."

"Yes." She sighed. "But that is to be expected I suppose. Not once has Arata ever thought about himself being on the throne and continuously supported Ban the whole way."

"It is indeed admirable of his behavior." Yuusuke nodded. "Well, if there are no other things to discuss, I will take my leave."

Queen Renneton waited until Yuusuke left and allowed herself to smile. "He really takes after his father. Always so humble."


	4. Found

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

* * *

"Empirens'." The tavern owner whispered to his wife in disgust when he saw Sir Kamiya striding up to the counter with his armor on and the Kaidou Empire embalm painted very clearly on both sides of the arm guards.

His wife looked at where her husband was looking and frowned. "What do you think he is doing here in Machila, Tadashi?"

"I don't know Nozomi." Tadashi shook his head before he suddenly narrowed his eyes. "He couldn't be looking for them, could he?"

"You better get to him and see if you can throw him off if that's so." Nozomi told him. "He's looking suspicious at us."

Tadashi nodded and got a cup of wine for Sir Kamiya. "Will there be anything else you need?"

"Perhaps some information regarding a certain farmer on the outskirts of this area." Sir Kamiya said nonchalantly but was observing carefully for any reaction.

Tadashi played his cards well and snorted. "You're not the first one for that information."

"Oh." Sir Kamiya raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Who else had asked for him?"

"A guy around my age." Tadashi shrugged. "He has long black hair and weird purple eyes with yellow pupils. His hair also had white highlights if I remember correctly."

"When was this?"

"About two years ago. I never seen or heard of him since." Tadashi said the last part truthfully.

Sir Kamiya digested this information and smiled gleefully. "So what about the farmer? Is he still living here?"

"Yup." Tadashi nodded. "He comes here every once in a while but all I ever hear when he is here is how one of his friends betrayed him." This time, Tadashi lied about it. Mikhail had said nothing but praises about Muraku but he wanted to throw Sir Kamiya off the trail, not lead him to them.

Sir Kamiya however, was perceptive and knew that he was lying. Instead, he gulped down the last of his drink and placed a few coins on the table. "I see. Thanks for the tidbits'."

Tadashi did not move until he was out of the doors and went to the back where Nozomi was waiting.

"So how was it?" She asked worriedly.

"I don't know." Tadashi shook his head. "That guy is very smart. I don't think he fell for my lies. I have to warn Mikhail about this."

"Wait." Nozomi grabbed his arm. "I have a better idea. We'll send Rover with a note to warn them. If that knight knows that they are living at the outskirts, it will be very likely that he is on his way there now."

"Alright." Tadashi nodded. "I'll head over to Kageto's place to inform him of this. You take care of the note and Rover."

Nozomi nodded and quickly wrote up the note. Once she was done, she headed out to the back where their border collie, Rover was.

"Hey Rover." She cooed as she rubbed its back. "I need you to do something for me." She fastened the note onto its neck with a piece of rope. "Take this to Mikhail and don't be seen."

Rover licked his mistress' hand to show that he understood what she was saying and took off running.

* * *

"Kageto!" Tadashi gasped as he pushed the doors open to the forge. The occupants inside the forge jumped and Tadashi could see Mikhail and Muraku inside too. "Oh on…"

"What is it Tadashi?" Mikhail asked concernedly.

"They're here!" Tadashi said quickly. "The Empire has found you. Just now, a knight from the empire came over and was asking about the both of you. I think he is heading over to your place now."

Mikhail's mouth dropped in horror and he ran out of the door, pushing past Tadashi. Muraku and Kageto exchanged equally horrified looks. "Vanessa!"

* * *

"Ok Mike, time for your nap." Vanessa said and placed Mike in his cot.

"Don wanna!" Mike squirmed. "Wanna playeee!"

Vanessa chuckled and stroked his head. "You can play after your nap. I can tell that you're tired already."

Mike pouted but as soon as he closed his eyes, he began to snore lightly. Vanessa chuckled again and headed out to the kitchen and began to clean the dishes. She paused when she heard some scratching sounds from the back door and opened it. She frowned when she saw that it was Rover.

"Rover, what are you doing here?" She asked as she crouched down and saw the note. Her frown deepened as she pulled it out and read it. Her eyes shot up and she quickly stood up. "Thanks Rover, go home."

Rover whined and ran off to the bushes. Vanessa ran back inside and glanced out of the window. Sure enough, she could see Sir Kamiya heading towards the cottage. She clenched her fist and ran back to Mike's room and picked him up. Startled from being woken up from his nap, Mike began to cry loudly.

"Shh." Vanessa tried to shush him. "It's ok Mike, go back to sleep." But Mike would not stop crying, instead, he started crying louder. Vanessa rocked him as she ran out of the room but half way to the back door, a hand grabbed her shoulder and jerked her onto one of the chairs.

"I didn't expect to find you too and to think that you already have a son with Mikhail Rouke." Sir Kamiya smirked and pointed his sword at her, preventing her from standing up.

"Sir Kamiya." Vanessa hissed. "You are not welcomed here in my home so get out!"

"I will once I get my hands on Muraku Kaidou." Sir Kamiya told her and lowered his eyes irritatingly at Mike who was still brawling. "Shut him up now or I will personally do it."

Vanessa sent him the best hateful glare she can muster and quietly hushed Mike who slowly quiet down and went back to sleep. Vanessa lifted her head up with another glare at Sir Kamiya. "Better?"

"Probably." Sir Kamiya grunted in disgust. "Now tell me, where is Muraku Kaidou?"

"I don't know."

"I advice you to tell me the truth or he gets it!" Sir Kamiya said and pointed his sword at Mike. "Tell me the truth, where is Muraku Kaidou!?"

Vanessa fearfully clutch Mike closer to her body. "I really don't know where he is now! He left early this morning with Mikhail and they didn't tell me where they were going!"

Sir Kamiya growled and raised his sword. "In that case, I might as well let him find your corpse. That will make him more willing to come to me."

Vanessa gasped and shut her eyes tightly while shielding Mike with her body as Sir Kamiya brought down his sword. But just as it was inches away from her body, another sword intercepted Sir Kamiya's and threw it off. Vanessa tensed and dared to open her eyes slightly only to see Ban Yamano standing in front of her while glaring at Sir Kamiya.

"You…" Vanessa gasped in surprise.

"Who are you!?" Sir Kamiya demanded.

Ban smirked and held his sword in front of him. "I'm sure this lady here already knows my name but I will say it again. I am Ban Yamano, leader of Aidara and son of the fallen King Junichirou Yamano!"

Sir Kamiya's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Yamano?! But Yoshimitsu Kaidou wiped out the entire family!"

"Not entirely." Ban said and pointed is sword at Sir Kamiya's chestplate. "Go back and tell your king, Ban Yamano is back and he will be waiting for his chance to bring the Kaidou family to justice."

Sir Kamiya growled and snapped his head at Vanessa. "You haven't seen the last me yet! I will get my hands on Muraku Kaidou!"

Vanessa shivered in fright as Sir Kamiya exited the cottage and sank to her knees.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ban asked concernedly as he got to her eye level.

"Get away from her!"

Vanessa snapped her head around just in time to see Mikhail punch Ban away and stood protectively in front of her.

"Mikhail, wait!" She grabbed his hand and stood up. "Ban saved me from Sir Kamiya!"

"Ban…" Mikhail's became wide as he remembered him and snapped his head at him. "What…"

All the noise woke up Mike again and he cried again while thrashing around this time. The noise attracted the attention of Muraku and Kageto who were just arriving and they burst into the cottage.

"Mikhail! Vanessa!"

Ban shifted his eyes and they landed on Muraku. Muraku felt his gaze and glanced at him and his eyes became wide. "Ban?! What is he doing here?"

Mike began to cry louder at all of the yelling and Vanessa could not take it anymore. "Would all of you keep it down!?" She snapped. "Get out of the house if you want to talk! You're disturbing Mike!"

Everyone flinched at her fierce tone and Muraku gestured for Ban to follow him out which he did. Mikhail gave Kageto an apologetic look and waved at him to go out too. Kageto nodded in understanding and heading out of the front door instead.

Once they were gone, Mikhail wrapped his arms around Vanessa as she managed to quiet down Mike again. "It's alright, he's gone." He carefully to Mike out of her hands and stroked her hair as she held on to him while taking deep breaths. "It's ok. I'm going to put Mike back in his crib. Sit down and try to calm down."

Vanessa nodded and did as he said. Once he returned from Mike's room, she buried her face in his chest and started sobbing. "They found us."

Mikhail frowned grimly and pulled her closer. "I know."

"What should we do? Mike…What will happen to him?" Vanessa clenched his shirt tightly.

"We'll just have to move again." Mikhail sighed and became serious. "I promise, no matter what happens, I'll protect you and Mike."


	5. Choices

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do give some feedback. Review, favourite or follow!**

* * *

"How did you find me?" Muraku asked Ban once they were far enough from the cottage but can reach there in time if Sir Kamiya did come back. "Or more specifically, how did you find Mikhail?"

"It wasn't easy." Ban admitted. "But since Queen Renneton has connections with the king of Machila, it wasn't hard to figure out where he's staying once we narrowed it down to here."

Muraku closed his eyes and leaned against a tree. "I see. Machila is not on friendly terms with the Kaidou Empire, that's why Mikhail chose to settle down here. Kageto soon followed his suit and Vanessa was already determined to stay by Mikhail's side. I left them however before they had settled down since the locals were not too accepting of me though the tavern owner does tolerate me to some degree."

"So what have you been doing for the past five years?"

"Travelling." Muraku said curtly. "I travelled around various placed and come back here every once in a while."

"I see." Ban nodded in understanding before getting down to business. "Things have changed since the last time we saw each other. I'm a fugitive and you are a defector now."

"Yes." Muraku opened his eyes and pushed himself off the tree. "I heard about what happened to Hikari too."

Ban lowered his head. "I see."

"Hikari's death is because of me." Muraku said emotionlessly. "Why are you even looking for me then?"

"Several reasons." Ban said with a small smile. "Firstly, Hikari's death is not your fault. Yoshimitsu Kaidou was the one who killed her, that's why I'm not seeking for revenge on you. And secondly, Aidara needs your help."

Muraku raised his head in surprise. "How did Yoshimitsu Kaidou kill her?"

"Poison." Ban simply said. "I don't know how though."

Muraku shut his eyes tightly to prevent tears from coming out. "Why does Aidara need me? Everyone I've encountered made it clear that they hate me."

"I don't believe that you should be judge for Yoshimitsu Kaidou's crimes when you did the right thing and turned away from him." Ban told him firmly. "As to answer your question, I need your help because you are the only one whom we know that was once with the Empire that has the most knowledge of the inside of the Kaidou court."

"I suppose that is also the reason why Jin Kaidou is after me too." Muraku sighed.

Ban frowned and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Muraku, you need to make a choice. It is either Kaidou's or us."

"And what if I don't want to?"

"I may be lenient and not force you to choose but your brother will." Ban said with a shrug and removed his hand from his shoulder.

"I do not recognize the person who is sitting on the throne of the Kaidou Empire. My brother is long gone." Muraku said stiffly.

"Only because he was misguided like you once were."

"Even so, I will not choose a side, at least not until I understand both sides of the argument." Muraku said as he turned away.

Ban raised an eyebrow. "Both sides of the argument?"

"Ever since I left the Kaidou Empire, I have been travelling to get more information about Kaidou Yoshimitsu and his goals as well as yours. There is still one more missing puzzle from the whole story." Muraku patiently explained

"And what is that?"

"Why did Yoshimitsu Kaidou usurp your father in the first place?"

Ban blanched and shook his head in confusion. "What? He did so because he wanted power!"

"I don't think that it is the full reason." Muraku sighed as he explained. "I won't say that his lust for power didn't drove him to do such autocracy. But when I was travelling, I heard rumors of a third fraction in the shadows that Yoshimitsu Kaidou feared. At that time, he pleaded for King Yamano to destroy the mysterious third fraction before it got too strong for them to deal with but I'm sure that you know exactly what King Yamano did."

"He wouldn't simply attack a nation that isn't threatening anyone just yet." Ban frowned.

"And one that they don't know where."

Ban raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

"Like I said, those are rumors. There was no mention of which nation is it. That's why, I think Yoshimitsu Kaidou took the throne and aimed to conquer all the nations to prevent the third fraction from rising. But his lust for power got the better of him so he ended up being a tyrant to the people."

"That sounds rather far-fetched." Ban pointed out.

"I know." Muraku sighed. "I could not believe it when I first heard it but the more I investigated that matter, the more convinced I am that it is true."

Ban was very skeptic of Muraku's deductions but he knew that Muraku was wiser than he let on. He thought about it for a moment and asked, "So what are you going to do now?"

"I'll probably have to move Mikhail and his family and possibly Kageto too." Muraku said shortly. "If Jin knows that Mikhail is here, he won't stop at anything to bring me back in chains. Sir Kamiya's actions at Vanessa and Mike have proven that much."

"I see." Ban closed his eyes and turned away. "In that case, I won't continue to bother you for now. I hope that all of you stay safe. And if you need any help, just find me at Wecasta."

"Thank you." Muraku said awkwardly and watched Ban leave the estate. Once he was gone, Kageto came over from the front.

"Muraku, what did he want?"

"He just wanted to know where my loyalties lie." Muraku said shortly. "But I told him that I want to remain neutral for the time being."

"Did he accept it?" Kageto hesitantly asked.

"If he didn't he would not have left without me." Muraku said with a smile. "Come on, we should check on how Vanessa is."

"Right." Kageto nodded in agreement and they went back inside the cottage to see Mikhail cleaning up the place after Sir Kamiya's break in.

"Muraku." He sighed in relief when he saw them. "How did it go?"

"He respected my decision to remain with you guys." Muraku said reassuringly. "How are Vanessa and Mike?"

"Mike's fast asleep and Vanessa went to watch over him." Mikhail sighed. "She's very shaken by what happened."

"I see." Muraku frowned. "I'm sorry. It's because of me…"

"Don't say that." Vanessa said sharply as she came out of Mike's room, having heard what Muraku said. "We knew that one day that this will happen but we still chose to remain by your side no matter what. It's our own fault if anything happens to us but that is our choice."

Muraku was stunned by Vanessa's words but Mikhail and Kageto affirmed them, nodding in agreement.

"Muraku, no matter what happens, we'll be by your side."

"Even if it means putting our lives on the line."

Muraku blinked and smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

"So he said no." Kazu sighed when Ban came back the next day and told them about what happened. "But it's a good thing that you showed up when you did or Sir Kamiya would have killed Vanessa Gala."

"Who would have thought that Jin Kaidou would have swooped this low?" Ami said softly. "I remember that you once said that Jin cares for Muraku a lot to the point where he allowed him to leave…but now, why did he started looking for him?"

"My guess is that Yoshimitsu Kaidou had a stronger influence on Jin than we initially thought." Ban sighed. "Muraku also told me that he wishes to remain on neutral ground for now. I'll respect his wishes and only see him again if absolutely needed."

"I guess that there is nothing we can do about it other than to monitor Sir Kamiya's movements in case he tries to strike them again." Kazu shrugged.

"Not only him, but everyone else in the court too, especially Seredy." Ban said with narrow eyes. "If Jin didn't do anything to Seredy despite knowing that he's Bandit's leader means that Seredy has something against Jin that made him unwilling to expose him."

"But what?" Ami wondered.

"I don't know." Ban shook his head. "And there is the third fraction that Muraku mention. I don't know if it is true or not but Ami, I want you to look further into it. Kazu, continue to monitor Machila's borders. We cannot allow the same thing to happen again."

"Alright, we'll get to it." Kazu promised and he and Ami stood up to leave when Arata came in. He paused when he saw Kazu and Ami and started to head out when Ban stopped him.

"It's ok Arata, we're done with the meeting."

"Oh." Arata halted in his tracks and allowed Ami and Kazu to pass before heading over to the table and sat down beside his brother. "So how did it go?"

"Muraku is not going to be joining us anytime soon but he won't be going back to the Kaidou Empire either if that's what you're asking." Ban said as he cleared up his scrolls. "How did your talk with Queen Renneton go?"

"You knew what it was going to be all about, didn't you?"

"Sorry, but given the circumstances, I couldn't say a word to you." Ban said apologetically. "So what did you tell her?"

"I said no." Arata said simply. "I'm already happy with the life I am living now, being your strategist advisor and being your biggest supporter."

"I see." Ban said with some disappointment in his voice. "But if you're happy like this, I can't force you into it."

"Thanks for understanding." Arata hugged him. "By the way, can you talk to Hikaru?"

"Why?"

"He cannot let go of his lust for revenge." Arata told him worriedly. "I tried talking to him but I don't think it made much impact on him."

"Oh." Ban closed his eyes and nodded. "I understand. I'll talk to him when I have the chance."

"Thanks." Arata got up and left the room.

Ban watched him leave and squeezed his eyes close. 'I'm sorry Hikari, I shouldn't have sent you to the palace all those years ago.'


	6. The silent slave

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do give some feedback. Review, favourite or follow!**

* * *

On the boarders of the Kaidou Empire where Bandit's current hideout is, a man with buzz cut hair smirked as he approached his leader, Seredy, outside of the camp. "Seredy-sama, everything is ready for tomorrow."

"Good." Seredy nodded. "How is our lovely slave by the way?"

As an answer, Seredy reached behind him and yanked on a long chain behind him roughly and a young woman in her early twenties and wearing a rag dress stumbled out of the shadows with the end of the chain wrapped around her wrist. Her hair was unevenly cut up to her mid back and there were countless scars and bruises on the visible parts of her arms and legs.

Seredy smirked and walked towards her. The lady tried to back up but the man yanked at the chain again to prevent her from moving. The lady glared at him heatedly until Seredy forced her to look at him by grabbing her chin.

"It is nice to see that you still have some of that fire in your spirit, Hana Kayagi."

Hana only glared at him as he released his grip on her. Seredy's smirk grew and turned his back at her. "I'm sorry, I forgot that you can no longer speak anymore. But that does not matter. Do you remember what I told you five years ago when I first spoke to you?"

Hana did not give any indications but only hardened her glare.

"I take it that you do. But just in case, I will say it again." Seredy waved at the man to leave and took the chain from him. The man bowed and slipped away. Once he was gone, Seredy continued, "When Jin Kaidou becomes king, you will be the perfect person to help me control him. And how? You ask. I'm sure that you have figured it out by now, given that I have treated you as a slave for the past five years."

Hana's fist clenched together tightly as she fought the urge to murder Seredy here and now. Seeing this, Seredy's smirk dropped. "It seems that the fire is still too strong for me to contain, but no matter. You'll be off my hands from tomorrow onwards, which brings me to my next point."

Seredy leaned in until his face was inches again from her ear. "I will be presenting you to King Jin Kaidou and his grandfather. But don't worry, I'll sure that Jin would accept my proposal if he wants to keep you alive."

If looks can kill, he would have been dead years ago by the dark looks Hana was sending at his direction.

* * *

Jin sighed as he listened to his two _favorite_ bickering advisors argue…again. This time he could not dismiss the court early though as Yuno and his grandfather are with him that day.

'This day better be over with soon or I'll really turn their houses into rubble.' Jin thought inwardly, wondering why in the world did his grandfather insisted on keeping them here.

"Your highness!" One of the palace guards called as he entered the throne room and bowed. "Advisor Seredy requests an audience with you."

Jin immediately stiffened at the guard's words and glanced at his grandfather who nodded. He turned back to the palace guard and ordered, "Bring him here."

"Yes, your majesty!" The guard bowed and left the throne room as the other advisors began murmuring among each other about Seredy's motives for calling an audience with the king. It was no secret among the court that Seredy had some illegal dealings within empire but as no one could prove it, none of them dared to take action against him.

It was not long before Seredy came in and bowed. "Your highness, thank you for seeing me this morning."

"Make it quick. I haven't got all day." Jin said curtly.

"But of course." Seredy bowed again and hid his smirk. "I'm sure that all of you have noticed but in the recent years, the number of servants in the palace had steadily declined."

The vein above Jin's eye twitched at that declaration. Despite his initial resolution to protect Vanessa's parents and Kageto's father, he threw them out of the palace along with several others with the excuse of their incompetence along the years just because they would not stop bugging him about their children.

"So I would like to request that the rules of the palace be amended slightly and allow slaves to be brought in and work in here to replace the number of servants that left." Seredy continued.

"I do not think that it is a good idea." Jin said neutrally. "If we start bringing in slaves, everyone will no longer be able to see the difference between normal servants and the slaves. I do not want to make that a conflict within the palace."

Jin could feel his grandfather's disapproving looks sent at him but Yuno squeezed his hand, which gave him some confidence.

"Why don't we conduct an experiment then?" Seredy proposed. "I have a slave on hand that would work well in the palace and we will see how the results go." He looked up and gave Jin a knowing look. Jin frowned and wondered why was Seredy was looking him like that.

"It may be worth a try." Yoshimitsu Kaidou suddenly spoke up, much to Jin's dismay.

"Well, then," Seredy smirked and waved his hands dramatically. "Behold, I present to you a former member of Aidara!"

Everyone in the court snapped into attention, Jin and Yoshimitsu Kaidou especially. Seredy smirked and snapped his fingers. Two of Bandit's members disguised as his servants pulled the bloody form of Hana Kayagi. Jin barely suppressed a gasp while Yuno's hands flew to her mouth at Hana's badly beaten up condition.

The former king on the other hand was wondering as to what Seredy was planning now. "Seredy, where did you find her?"

"Somewhere in the forest by my servants and guards." Seredy said evasively. "I had thought about it and an idea had come to me when she was brought over to my place and I decided to test it on her."

"And what is that?" Jin hissed.

Seredy's smirk grew and forcefully opened Hana's mouth with his hands. "Look inside and you will see that something is missing."

Jin narrowed his eyes at Seredy's treatment of Hana but did as he was asked and his eyes became wide as saucers. "What happened to her tongue!?"

"I cut it off." Seredy laughed. "Behold the perfect slave! One that can never talk again nor go against its owners!"

It was all Jin could do to stop himself from murdering Seredy on the spot. But thankfully, Yuno placed a hand on his arm which calmed him down. Hana watched this action and her eyes glazed over with tears.

"If you are so insistent of trying this out, then I suppose we can try." Yoshimitsu Kaidou said thoughtfully though he was wondering about Seredy's motives for bringing a former rebel inside as a slave, not that he entirely minded that fact.

Jin narrowed his eyes and glanced at Yuno. An idea soon formed in his mind as he thought up of the best way to keep Hana safe in the palace. He cleared his throat and straightened up. "Very well then. She can be Queen Yuno's newest slave then."

"What?!" Yuno hissed.

"Trust me on this." Jin whispered back. He turned back to Seredy and spoke in his normal voice, "Seredy, get her cleaned up and bring her to Queen Yuno's room once you are done."

"As you wish your highness." Seredy said gleefully, knowing that he had Jin Kaidou exactly where he wanted. "Oh, and by the way, her name is Hana Kayagi."

* * *

"Jin, what in the world are you thinking?" Yuno demanded once they returned to their room.

Jin sighed and rubbed his face. "Do you remember when I told you that I met Hana five years ago during the mission to find Aidara?"

"Yes." Yuno nodded uneasily, knowing that it was a sore subject for Jin. "You also said that she disappeared after that."

"I didn't tell you the entire story." Jin confessed. "I also found out that Seredy was holding Hana captive. He sent me a letter warning me that if I were to expose a secret of his, he will kill her."

Yuno's hands flew to her mouth. "So that's why…"

"Right now, I don't trust anyone other than you. That's why, I know that she'll be safe under you and you won't treat her badly. If I said no, then who knows what Seredy would have done to her. And if I simply let her be a normal slave, I don't want to think what other people, namely Sir Kamiya and my grandfather, would do to her." Jin explained. "I'm sorry if I made the decision abruptly though."

"It's fine." Yuno assured him. "I'll make sure that she is taken care of well and see that Seredy and the others don't lay a hand on her."

"Thank you." Jin said as he hugged her. He broke apart though when someone knocked on the wooden door.

"Your highness, Seredy and the slave are here." Sendou called from outside.

"Let them in." Jin called back as he and Yuno straightened themselves.

The door creaked open and Seredy stepped inside while tugging on the chain wrapped around Hana's wrist. "I had gotten her cleaned up as you have requested, your highness."

True enough, Hana was now cleaner than when she was brought in but it made all the bruises and scars visible now. Yuno had to close her mouth with her hand to prevent a gasp from slipping out.

"That will do." Jin said coolly. "You may leave now."

"Of course." Seredy bowed and left the room, leaving Hana with them. Jin glanced at Yuno and nodded. Yuno winked to show that she got the message and approached Hana.

"I believe that you won't need these chains." Yuno said as she undid them. Hana looked at her in surprise but stood still as the as of the chains fell off her wrist. She tried to rub them as inconspicuously as possible to get blood circulating in her hands again.

"Come on, I'll get a new dress for you so that you don't have to wear these rags again." Yuno said kindly and tried to place a hand on Hana's arm but she flinched away from the touch. Yuno gave her a worried look and cocked her head back at Jin who shook his head. Yuno nodded in reply and took her by the wrist instead.

After she left the room with Hana in tow, Jin collapsed on the bed and allowed his tears to finally come out. 'Just what did Seredy do to her?'

* * *

 **So I'm sure that some of you have noticed but I removed the name that Seredy gave for the slient slaves because I don't think it was neccesary. And I'm sorry if you find it disturbing. And I don't own anything from the idea of Avox from the Hunger Games which I used on Hana.**


	7. The silent slave (part 2)

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!**

* * *

"Here." Yuno handed Hana a brown dress similar to the one that Catherin and her servants wore. But this one had black borders and lace instead of white and gold like the others. "Go and get changed." Yuno said as she pushed Hana behind the screen which made her jump slightly but she did as she was told. As she waited for her to come out, Yuno pondered on the possible torture she had to endure judging by the way she flinched at all physical contact.

"Yuno." Catherin greeted as she came over.

"Catherin." Yuno nodded back and shifted so that she could face her friend. "How's the preparations?"

"All done like you asked." Catherin bowed.

However, Yuno noticed that her friend was fidgeting and asked, "Is there anything wrong?"

"I don't feel right, having a slave beside you, I mean." Catherin confessed. "Your mother always told us that it is not right using people like slaves. But now…"

"I'm doing this for her protection Catherin." Yuno said in a low voice. "Out of everyone in the palace, who do you think will treat her well?"

"Only you." Catherin sighed. "Alright…I get your point. But still…"

"I know that it is hard to accept, but I want to make an effort to be friends with her. And all of you should do the same. Hopefully she'll open up and tell us of what Seredy did to her."

"But she can't talk." Catherin pointed out.

"We can teach her sign language or let her write to communicate." Yuno said thoughtfully.

* * *

As Hana silently changed behind the screen, she listened closely to the conversation between Catherin and Yuno. While she could understand now why Jin had placed her under the young queen, she knew that she will be putting her in danger too.

'Yuno does not deserve to go through the suffering I went through under Seredy.' Hana thought to herself. 'Jin, you have certainly change for the worst. I've heard about everything you've done while I was in captivity. And I cannot believe you would use Yuno just to create an alliance with Odela. I might as well go with Seredy's plan for the time being; otherwise, Jin and I might put her in danger.'

She suddenly paused and shook her head, wondering why was she concerned about Yuno when it was clear that she is Jin' wife. Then again, why was she concern about who Jin likes now? She had given up on her feelings for him ever since she was captured. But if Jin was placing her under Yuno just to protect her…

'He's falling straight into Seredy's hands.' She thought grimly. 'I have to find a way to make him give up on his feelings for me. There's no way I can let Seredy win after what he did to me.'

She waited for a moment before emerging from behind the screen. Yuno and Catherin perked their heads up and smiled when they saw her.

"You look better now." Yuno complimented and nodded at Catherin. "This is Catherin, one of my personal servants. She will be bringing you to your quarters. Tomorrow, you can help me at my garden so be well rested."

Hana nodded and went with Catherin to her quarters while Yuno went back to her room. When she went in, she saw that Jin was already asleep on the bed. She smiled and helped him undress before pulling the blanket over him. She could tell that he was emotionally drained from seeing Hana again, as a slave too.

"Sleep well." She whispered and went out again this time to the gardens to take note of anything that needs to be done tomorrow.

* * *

Ban was quiet as he slipped out unnoticed from the house Aidara was staying at and went over to the outcrop where one can have a full view of the Kaidou Empire. But when he arrived there, he was surprise to see Hikaru there too. Hikaru sensed him and turned around. "Ban, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Ban shrugged and sat down beside him. "Thinking of Hikari?"

The only answer Hikaru gave him was a nod of his head. Ban gave him an understanding look and glanced at the sky where the stars were twinkling brightly. "I remember how she always liked to sneak out just to see the stars. She said that it takes her mind off her troubles."

"She was bullied in the palace." Hikaru finally spoke after keeping quiet for a while. "She said that the reason she stayed was because Muraku became her friend. If only he didn't…"

Ban sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry. But the blame shouldn't fall on Muraku but me. I was the one who gave her the mission even though it was very likely that Kaidou would recognize her."

"I know." Hikaru said softly. "But…"

"Arata told me that you cannot let go of your grudge against Muraku." Ban cut in. "But, he's not the reason Hikari is dead…"

Hikaru clenched his fist and slammed it on the ground. "Of course it's his fault! If he had not been so kind to her, she would have given up on her mission and came back safely, she told me herself."

"And what if she had?" Ban asked, looking straight in his eye. "What would Kaidou would have done then?"

Hikaru was taken aback by this question that he did not know how to answer it so Ban continued, "If Hikari had chosen to give up then, she would have been imprisoned by Kaidou or worse, killed. Either way, she would have died and you would be grudging against someone and that will affect our teamwork. Kaidou knew this so he is using Hikari to drive us into a corner even after she's dead."

Hikaru kept quiet and Ban stood up. "I'm going back now. Just think about it. I'm not telling you to forget about Hikari at all, but I want you to let her go and forget about your grudge. It will only hurt you more than it will help you."

As he watched Ban head back to the house, Hikaru pounded on his words and sighed. "I still don't know what I should do. Hikari, I wish you are here."

He looked up at the stars again and decided to try and find the constellations that his mother often showed them when she was alive. After a while, he found himself relaxing and smiled. Before this, he never understood how looking for the constellations helped Hikari forget about her problems but now he knew why.

'Those stars are the very thing that held us together no matter how far we are apart.' Hikaru realized. 'With mama and with Hikari and me.'

He clenched his fist again as he made the decision that he will announce to everyone the next day.

* * *

It was late in the night when Jin woke up. He glanced over at Yuno who was sleeping soundly at her end of the bed and remembered that he fell asleep after crying over Hana. He sighed and got up, realizing that he was undressed too. His lips quirked up into a smirk as he glanced back at Yuno. 'Sorry to trouble you.'

Grabbing a robe on the way out, he slipped out into the corridor and wandered around for a few minutes before he eventually found Hana's current quarters based on the location Yuno told him earlier.

When he raised his fist to knock, he suddenly hesitated and lowered his fist slightly. 'Maybe this isn't such a good idea.'

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard crying from the other side of the door, making him pause. Without stopping to think, he opened the door and found Hana crouched in the corner of the room, sobbing.

"Hana?" Jin went over and crouched down in front of her. He tried to grab her hand but she jerked away, shaking her head in fear while pulling her knees closer to her chest. Jin frowned and shook her by her shoulders. "Hana, it's me, Jin."

Hana's eyes shot up and she quickly pushed him away, much to his surprise. Although she could not talk to him, he could tell that she wanted him out of the room based on the look she was giving him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he stood up and headed towards the door. But before he closed it behind him, he whispered to her, "I never forgot about you or my feelings to you for the past 5 years. I really love you and I want you to understand that."

As soon as the door closed, Hana relaxed and crawled into the bed with red eyes. 'Why? Why must he still love me after all this time? Can't he see that he is only putting Yuno and her friends in danger?!'

But deep down, she could not deny the fact that she still loves him with all her heart despite the person he is now.


	8. Planting seeds with a smile

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!**

* * *

The next morning, everyone was gathered at the dining room to have the breakfast prepared by Ami and Ran.

"It's going to be hard to monitor the border of Machila now since there are suddenly storms around the area now." Kazu told Ban as they sat down at their spots.

"I expected so." Ban sighed. "It's the monsoon season now so we can only hope that this will also slow down the Empire from trying to take Muraku again."

"By the way, there is a rumor in the Kaidou Court that the king has allowed a slave to be brought in as an experiment for future plans of having slaves in the palace." Hiro reported to him.

"What?!" Ban shot up in surprise. "Do you have any more details?"

Hiro nodded and hesitantly continued. "From what I heard, this slave was brought in by Seredy and he did something despicable to her before presenting her to Jin Kaidou. He turned her into a silent slave by cutting off her tongue."

Kazu's face emitted furry at Seredy's action while Ban's face dropped in horror. "That's inhuman!"

"I know." Hiro nodded. "If he is planning that, then it could be possible that the slaves brought in, in the future, would be in the same condition as her."

"So the slave is a female?"

"Yes." Hiro nodded. "She has been placed under the queen."

Ban narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist. "Seredy…"

"Everyone!" Hikaru called.

Ban snapped his head up at him with a surprise look. Hikaru merely smiled, yes smiled, and said, "I owe everyone an apology for the way that I have been acting for the past five years. I had been so consumed with thoughts of revenged that I forgot about the bigger picture here. From now on, I will fight the Kaidou Empire instead of focusing in the past, like what Hikari would have wanted me to do."

Ban was shocked at his speech but smiled back nevertheless and he could feel everyone having the same proud feeling for him. "Hikaru, apology accepted. It is great that you managed to move on from Hikari." He stood up and faced everyone. "Everyone, let's continue to push forward. The fact that Jin wants to get hold of Muraku means that he's afraid of us. We will continue to assist Wecasta in protecting the kingdom and when the time is right, we will step back into Aradia and take back the kingdom!"

"Yeah!"

Ban picked up his cup and raised it. "To victory and Hikari!"

Everyone followed his suit and raised their cups. "To victory and Hikari!"

"Am I interrupting something?"

Ban spun around and quickly shook his head. "Not at all, Takuya."

"Good." Takuya nodded and became serious. "Ban, the queen wishes to see you immediately for a very urgent matter."

Ban frowned but nodded. "I'll be right there."

* * *

"Here we are." Yuno paused in front of the plot of land behind the palace which. Since she had nothing to do most of the time, Jin gave her the land for her hobby of gardening to take some time off her hands, something she was extremely grateful for. Hana could not stop the gasp at all of the beautiful flowers grown all around. Yuno smiled and gave her a basket filled with gardening tools and packets of seeds. "You can help me plant these seeds at the other side of the garden at any spot that is barren. I will be trimming some plants not too far away so if you need any help you can look for me."

Hana looked at her in surprise at her offer to help but nodded and went over to the place where Yuno indicated and started working. It surprised her as to how much she still remembers about gardening given that she had to plant herbs all the time back at her cottage and hunting days. She was so engrossed with her work that she did not hear Seredy approaching her until he spoke, "Having fun?"

Hana's body became filled with dread and she slowly turned around to face her tormentor for the past five years. Seredy smirked at her fearful expression and glanced at the gardening tools. "It looks like Queen Yuno is being too soft on you. Does she honestly think that you are no different from her servants?"

He stepped closer and yanked her hair, causing her to let out a strangled cry of surprise. Ignoring her cry, he leaned in closer to her ear. "You know exactly what you must do to get close to Jin Kaidou, don't you?"

Hana merely struggled against his grip and Seredy narrowed his eyes and pulled harder. "I asked you a question."

"Seredy Krisler, what are you doing to her?" Yuno demanded as she stormed up to them and Seredy promptly released his grip and took a step back.

"Your grace, I was just treating her like what masters should to a slave." Seredy said with a sick smile. "And if I may, you are treating her no better than what you treat your servants, something that should not be so."

Yuno narrowed her eyes and got to eye level with him. "Jin placed her under me so whatever she does is for me to decide, not you. And with the authority granted to me as the queen, I hereby order that you are not to touch her again! Is that clear?"

"Perfectly clear." Seredy said through gritted teeth and threw Hana a hateful glare before storming off.

Once he was out of sight, Yuno went over to Hana who was still shivering in fear. "Did he hurt you?"

Hana quickly shook her head and went back to her task. Yuno observed her for a while and noticed that she knew exactly what she was doing and smiled. She was initially worried that Hana was too shy to ask for help which is why she came back to check on her. But while she was doing well, she knew that Seredy would probably find a way to disobey her order so she decided to stay with her.

"You know how to plant these seeds, don't you?" Yuno asked as she crouched down beside the older woman and took half of the remaining seeds for her to plant.

Hana nodded her head without looking at her. Yuno frowned and touched her shoulder. "Is there anything wrong?"

Hana jumped and shook her head.

"Then please cheer up." Yuno flashed her a grin. "It's much more fun to plant these flowers with a smile than with an unhappy frown. The flowers will not bloom if you don't cheer up."

Hana managed a smile at her words and was reminded of a small memory tucked in the back of her mind.

* * *

 _"If you smile more often around the others, you will look more beautiful." Ban told her when he found her sitting on one of the platforms. It has been two weeks since he rescued her from her previous master and she still had trouble opening up to the others of Aidara._

 _"There's no point of me trying to be beautiful." Hana sighed. "I'm just a former slave who was sold off by her parents."_

 _"I know that it is hard to break away from your past but give it time." Ban said comfortingly and sat down beside her. "If you always keep a sour frown on your face, flowers won't bloom, you know?"_

 _"Is that a metaphorical description just to make me smile?" Hana asked with a quirked eyebrow._

 _"No, it's something that my mom once told me." Ban said wistfully. "She loved gardening and she once told me that if you smile when you plant the seeds, the flower that will bloom from it will be as beautiful as you when you smile."_

 _Hana gave him a wry smile. "I see. Can you teach me how to plant flowers then? I want to smile again so it can be a start."_

 _"Of course." Ban nodded with a warm smile._

* * *

It had been too long since she last thought about her friends in Aidara. But given all the rumors she heard, she knew that they were safe in Wecasta which was good enough for her. They probably think that she's dead but she was fine with it as she preferred not letting them see her in her current state.

"So once we are done here, you can help me clean up my bedroom, and I guess that will be all for today." Yuno suddenly told her.

Hana glanced at her and nodded. But it took a minute before the full meaning of her words sank in. 'Don't tell me she's planning to get me and Jin alone?'

By now, she understood that Yuno did not have any romantic feelings for her former lover but it felt like she was betraying the only person in this entire palace who was kind to her. At the same time, she did not want to even face Jin right now, not after last night.

* * *

When Ban got back from his meeting with Queen Renneton, everyone was shocked at how pale he was.

"Ban?" Ran asked tentatively. "What happened?"

"The queen found Hana."

Everyone jumped at this announcement but was surprise as to why Ban is like this.

"So that's good news, isn't it?" Hiro said with a forced smile.

"No." Ban shook his head. "I need every one of you to sit down and listen…"

* * *

 _"Ban, I'm glad that you are here." Queen Renneton greeted him as he entered the throne room. "I have an important piece of information about my spies in the Kaidou palace. It seems that Hana Kayagi has been found in there."_

 _"What?" Ban's face morphed into shock for the second time that morning. "How…"_

 _"It seems that you were right in your hunch that Seredy was holding her." The queen explained with a frown. "Just yesterday, he presented her in the most appalling way."_

 _Ban frowned as he remembered what Hiro had told him at breakfast and his face turned pale, much to Queen Renneton's shock. "Did…did they say about her tongue being cut off?"_

 _Queen Renneton's eyes became wide and she sighed. "I take it that you heard the news already?"_

 _"Hiro said that it was a rumor, but the identity of the slave was not identified." Ban managed to force out._

 _"I see." The queen said quietly. "Listen, I don't think there is anything we can do to help her now. We can only hope that she will be safe and wait until a window of opportunity opens up for her to escape or for us to save her."_

 _Ban nodded numbly and left the throne room to deliver the bad news to his friends._

* * *

By the time he was done, everyone's expressions were ranging from furry, disbelieve and shock. It took them a while before they came back to their senses and began demanding that a rescue operation be put together to save her or to cut off Seredy's head.

"Everyone, quiet!" Ban managed to shout over the noise. Once everyone had quiet down, he took a deep breath and prepared himself, knowing that they will not like his decision. "The queen said that there is nothing we can do to save her now. The only thing we can do is to wait and pray for her safety until we find a chance to save her."

Some of the hot-headed adults (Gouda, Ran and Asuka) wanted to protest but Arata spoke up, "He's right. Right now, if we step back into Aradia's borders, we will be arrested on the spot."

"That's why we have to wait. It's the only option we have now." Ami finished, lowering her head.

Ban silently sighed as the hot-headed trio calmed down but he knew that they were not pleased with the situation either.

'Why is it that Hana must go back to the life of slavery?' Ban thought inwardly. 'What is Seredy planning to place Hana in the palace?' But sadly, he had no answer to that.


	9. Chapter 9

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!**

* * *

"Is that all?" Kageto asked when Mikhail came over with two bended pitchforks and a dented spade.

"Yes." Mikhail nodded. "Thanks for fixing them."

"That's what friends are for." The blacksmith shrugged. "By the way, how are your plans on moving?"

"Muraku recommended that we wait since it is the monsoon season now."

"I see. Why don't you go back first?" Kageto suggested. "I think there is a storm coming up soon and you better keep Vanessa company. You can come back and get these tomorrow if the storm lets up by then."

"Thanks." Mikhail waved as he went out. As he walked down the street, people were rushing around to stock up in case the storm went on for days. He was very thankful then for Muraku's advice to stock up beforehand. The prices of goods had shot up just after he had finished stocking up for his family and Muraku so he managed to avoid losing a lot of money.

"You're back." Vanessa greeted him when he entered the cottage just as it started raining. She went over and gave him a blanket. "I got the fire burning in the kitchen so you can dry up there while I get some of your clothes."

"Thanks. Where are Mike and Muraku?"

"Muraku is playing with him in his room." Vanessa smiled. "Mike kept on begging him until he agreed to."

"He's good with kids. He should try to find someone and settle down." Mikhail said with a small smile.

Vanessa paused and sighed, "You know why he doesn't."

Mikhail frowned and lowered his head. Yes, his best friend was not over Hikari's death yet no matter how much he tried to hide it, although, Ban's talk with him seem to make him feel better somehow. He shook his head to push those thoughts aside when Vanessa came back with some of his dry clothes. "Thanks."

"So is there any news from Kageto?"

"Nope." Mikhail shook his head. "The empire has been quiet for a while since Sir Kamiya's visit. I wouldn't be surprise if the storms are the reason why."

Vanessa's face darkened at the mention of Sir Kamiya and Mikhail noticed this. He pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered into her ear, "You don't need to be afraid of him. He's no longer here and if he does come back, I will protect you and Mike with my life."

Vanessa nodded numbly and pulled away slightly. "Thanks. I needed that."

"Mama. Daddy."

Mikhail and Vanessa broke apart as Mike toddled over to them and hugged their legs. "Hug?"

"Yes Mike." Vanessa picked him up and hugged him. "Where is Uncle Muraku?"

"He cry'ng and then slep'ng." Mike said with a yawn.

"He must be thinking of Hikari again." Mikhail sighed.

"Wo's Hi'ari?" Mike asked.

"She was a friend of ours." Vanessa explained. "She was a kind girl who would have loved to have you as her godson."

"Oh." Mike said sleepily and rubbed his eyes.

"Alright sleepy head. Time for bed." Vanessa chuckled. When Vanessa went to tuck in Mike, Mikhail quickly changed and silently marveled his wife for her ways with children. It made him wish that he and Vanessa had another child but Mike was barely two and with the empire out looking for them, they were already putting Mike in danger.

* * *

"So you can help put all of this back into the cupboard there." Yuno said pointing at the pile of clothes and at the cupboard. Hana had nearly sweatdropped when she learned that all these clothes are actually Yuno's.

'Just how much does she have?' She wondered but went to work, thankful that Jin was not in at the moment.

"I have something I have to do so I will be back in a while." Yuno told her with a wave as she left the room, leaving Hana standing in the room alone. Even though she did not made it obvious, it was clear to her that Yuno was actually going to fetch Jin but for what reason, she could not understand.

'I might as well get to work now.' Hana thought to herself and started folding the clothes and placing them back into the cupboard. As she worked, she found herself wonder why was Yuno doing all of this for her and treated her like a friend instead of a slave like many others had. Aidara had been her only refuge and even that was taken away from her.

"Hana?"

Hana jumped and nearly dropped the clothes in her hands and spun around to see Jin approaching her.

"Yuno said that you would be in helping her sort out her clothes." Jin said hesitantly.

Hana nodded and went back to her task without looking at him again.

"Do you hate me?" Jin asked with a twinge of sadness. Hana paused and shook her head.

"Then why are you avoiding me?" Jin closed in on her and placed a hand on her cheek. She jumped and tried to pull away but Jin stopped her by placing his other hand on her other cheek. "Hana, I miss you so much that I was torn when you pushed me away last night."

But Hana placed her hands on his and pushed them away from her. She shook her head as though warning him not to touch her again and resumed folding the clothes. Arms wrapped around her waist from behind and pulled her close to Jin's body. To her credit, Hana did not jump or flinch at this contact but her face fell.

"Please…" Jin trailed off when he felt something wet drip on his hands and he knew that Hana was crying. He loosened his grip and rested his head on her shoulder. "Hana, please give me one more chance. I promise that I will find a way to get you out of this place."

Hana lifted her head in surprise at his promise and felt a bit of hope for the Jin that she knew and loved to resurface. But still…

She pulled away and shook her head. She had already resigned herself to the life of a slave a long time ago, not that Jin would understand what she is thinking now. Plus, Seredy was tracking her movement in the place. It would do her no good if she wanted to run away even with Jin's help.

Jin watched her sadly as she went on with her task and lowered his head. "I won't bother you anymore. But I can promise you one thing, Yuno will take care of you while you are serving under her."

Hana cocked her head as to ask why which Jin shrugged. "She's never one for spite and the only other person other than you to have a heart of gold, not that we are anything more than friends." He quickly added. He took her hand and kissed it before heading out again. Hana was left alone again but this time, she did not mind it too much and was somewhat at peace with the fact that Jin can be saved from Yoshimitsu Kaidou.

* * *

"It is nearly time that we move." Seredy told the assembled members of Bandit that had accumulated over the years, replacing the ones that he lost to Jin, Muraku and Aidara. "Our master has ordered us to attack one of the territories of the Kaidou Empire, Misora Town. With our little slave in the palace, I can control the king to not take it back from us."

"Now I see why you wanted to plant her in there." The same man with the buzz cut hair spoke up with a smirk.

"Yes Itan." Seredy nodded. "If I use her life as a bargain chip, then Jin Kaidou will be at our mercy."

"But why did you plant her in the palace if you can just control him with her in our camp?" A lady asked with a frown.

"Because, if she wasn't, Jin Kaidou might not have believed me to have her in my hands. Despite the fact she is under the queen's protection, that will not stop me from using her if necessary. Does that answer your question, Charlotte?"

"Yes, Seredy-sama." She said with a small bow.

"Now, remember, our objective is to takeover, not raze the town to the ground. If he wants, our master will order us to do so." Seredy reminded them. "I'm looking forward as to who will take the town's flag."


	10. Invasion

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!**

* * *

Wataru hummed as he brought a handful of herbs to Uchira's place like usual. It has been years since he last saw Hikari and Takeru though he learned later that they were rebels, something that he did not know what to think of. They were the nicest people in town unlike the former mayor, Bishop, and his men. He shivered as he remembered what happened five years ago when Bishop had falsely accused him for stealing his bread. He would have died had Muraku and Takeru not intervened.

'I wonder where they are now.' He silently thought as he stepped pass the doors of the apothecary only for Uchira to run out in a rush.

"Wataru, thank goodness that you are here." She said breathlessly. Behind her, a middle age man that Wataru knew was the baker, limped over.

"What happened?" Wataru asked, afraid of the answer.

"Misora Town is under attack by Bandit." The baker grunted as he leaned onto Uchira. "They are heading here from the northern gates.

"We need you to go to Wecasta and ask for their help." Uchira told him and thrusted a letter into his hands.

"What?! Why me and why Wecasta!?" Wataru wailed as Uchira pulled him down the road to the Southern gates.

"You're the only one who can go up the mountains while the baker and I can't." She panted. "Also, I doubt that the king will take any action to save us so Wecasta is the more favorable choice. Just give the letter to anyone when you reach there."

They stopped at the wall surrounding the Southern gates and Uchira led him to a small hole in it. "Go, you are the only one who can save us now."

Wataru was still hesitant but hearing the screams coming closer made him nod in determination. "Alright, please be safe."

Uchira nodded back and ran back to lure the Bandits that were heading their way and Wataru slipped through the hole to get to the other side of the gates, heading towards the direction of Wecasta.

* * *

"That was nothing." Charlotte scoffed as she grabbed the Misora Town flag and threw it down to the ground, signaling the capture of the town.

"I can't believe I lost to you." Tooru complained as he came over.

"You can't blame me since there's nothing much to do other than scaring those country bumpkins into their homes." She growled. "I wish we could burn this place to the ground like usual."

"Are you making a suggestion to disobey the master?" Seredy spoke from behind them, making them jump and Charlotte quickly shook her head.

"N-no, Seredy-sama! I was just wondering why, that's all!"

"Good to hear that then." Seredy smirked. "I would hate it if the master thinks that you are mutinying against him. Watch your mouth the next time or the master will be mad at you."

"Yes, Seredy-sama." Charlotte suppressed the temor in her voice.

"The same goes to you, Tooru. I want this to be a warning to everyone." Seredy smiled at the said man.

"Hai." Tooru bowed to hide the flash of panic in his eyes.

"Seredy-sama!" Bruce cried as he ran over to them. "We found a hole in the walls of the Southern gates. It looks like someone had used it to escape before we arrived as there are footprints leading out."

"Go find him!" Seredy ordered. "I don't want the word of our invasion to spread to the other kingdoms!"

"Yes, Seredy-sama!" The three of them bowed and followed Bruce to the Southern gates.

* * *

Wataru did not know how long he had been running but he judged that it was an hour since he fled Misora Town based on the sun's position.

'The hike is about three hours to the mountain on foot and another two to go up but I have to avoid the Empire's patrols too.' He thought with a groan.

"There he is!"

Wataru jumped and started running faster, trying to outrun the three Bandits that were chasing him even though his lungs felt like bursting.

"Get him!"

Two nets fell down on him but he managed to sidestep them. He quickly dived into the bushes just before they arrived where the nets were.

"It looks like he got away." One of them grunted and kicked the net.

"He could not have gone far, go and chase after him!" A female's authoritative voice snapped.

"Hai, Charlotte!" The two Bandits ran off in fear of what their sub-leader would do when she was mad.

Once they were out of sight, Charlotte dropped her angry frown and massaged her forehead. "Why did I even join Bandit, I don't know. All I ever get is incompetent men and threats from Seredy-sama each day."

She glanced around for a while and turned on her heels. "I better get going or I'll be in trouble."

When Wataru was sure that she was gone, he creped out of his hiding place and sighed in relief. "There's no time to lose. I must get to Wecasta now."

* * *

A fuming Seredy was seen later with Charlotte, Bruce and Tooru in front of him with their heads lowered. "Well?"

"We…we could not find him." Bruce said meekly.

"Could not find him?" Seredy narrowed his eyes and pulled his whip out of his belt. "You do know the consequences if you cannot find him, don't you?"

"The people will be rescued?" Charlotte said softly, not noticing Bruce and Tooru's horrified looks at her answer.

"Wrong." Seredy snapped his whip and lashed it at her side. She cried out in pain but did not falter though the part which was hit was now bleeding. Seredy pointed his whip at her and smirked sardonically. "Charlotte, I thought you knew better than that. Other kingdoms like Wecasta and Machila will hear about this and see it as an opportunity to seize a territory that was once the Empire's. Are our forces strong enough to face a full frontal assault from them?"

"N-No." Charlotte quivered.

Seredy eyed her for a moment and curled up his whip. "I expect better from you." Was all he said before storming off, leaving the three of them behind.

Charlotte ran her hand over the part that was bleeding while Bruce and Tooru went ahead of her, shaking their heads. She gritted her teeth and pressed her handkerchief on the cut. 'Why am I still in Bandit after all this time? Isn't it better to run away than to stay…No, I must redeem myself. I must find that runaway and bring him to Seredy-sama.' She thought determinedly.

* * *

In the mountains, Kazu and Haruki were maneuvering around it as they avoided an occasional Empire patrol.

"It looks like they are stepping up their patrols." Haruki reported later when they met up.

"Yeah, and I don't like the looks of it. I wonder what their objective through this is." Kazu frowned.

"Do you think that the rumors of the invasion on Wecasta will happen?"

"Not sure." Kazu shrugged. "We better get going back now."

Haruki nodded and they stood up to leave but when they turned around, something fell out of the bushes, making them jump and grab their weapons. But they were surprise to see Wataru face down in front of them.

"Help…" Wataru croaked as he lifted his head. "Misora Town…invasion…"

"What?" Haruki asked as he crouched down in front of him. "What do you mean invasion?"

"Bandit…" Wataru managed to force out before his eyes rolled behind his head and he slumped unconscious.

"Oi!" Haruki shook him but he did not wake up.

"Bandit? What did they do this time?" Kazu wondered.

"Shouldn't we get him back to Wecasta first?" Haruki asked as he lifted Wataru up.

"Right." Kazu nodded but just as he was going to take the other side, he noticed a letter in his pocket and took it out. "What is this?"

"Don't know." Haruki grunted.

Kazu frowned but pocketed it and helped Haruki bring Wataru all the way back to their home.

* * *

Ban frowned worriedly as he fingered the letter that Kazu gave him while watching Ami check over Wataru. "So you found him in the mountain?"

"Yeah." Kazu nodded in confirmation. "I think he ran all the way from Misora Town. The only words that we managed to get out of him were Misora Town, invasion and Bandit."

Ban tilted his head as he looked over the letter again. "I don't think there's any harm in opening this since there's no one specifically addressed on it, only Wecasta." He ripped open the letter and read through it, his frown deepening ever second.

"I think he's fine." Ami announced as she came over. "He just fainted from exhaustion."

"I see." Ban said, looking up. "Kazu, stay here with him. Ami, Arata and I need to see the queen immediately."

His two friends looked at him in surprise which he addressed by giving them the letter. "Misora Town has been taken by Bandit."


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!**

 **I'm having trouble in thinking up suitable titles for the chapter and Chapter 9. If you want, you can suggest some and I will choose the most suitable one.**

* * *

"I cannot believe it." The queen frowned deeply when Arata, Ban and Ami told her the news.

"For Bandit to invade a territory of the Empire…just what are they planning?" Yuusuke wondered.

"We think it has something to do with the third fraction that Muraku Kaidou told us." Ban explained. "Also, Seredy must have placed Hana in the palace for this reason too. Jin Kaidou will not dare to do anything against him as long as Hana is there as a slave."

"The situation is graver than I originally thought." Queen Renneton said thoughtfully. "As much as I want to mobilize our troops to save Misora Town, I want to know what exactly Seredy is planning. Moving in now might endanger the people instead."

"I agree. If I may, it may be best to wait and let them lower their guard so that they won't have time to react. Also, if we do move now, the king might hear of this and he would probably sent his troops to Wecasta while ours are at Misora Town." Yuusuke added.

"Very well, but can we send someone to check the situation, preferably someone who is familiar with the area."

"We can send Haruki." Ban offered. "He knows Misora Town well as well as the surrounding area."

"Good. Have him ready tomorrow."

* * *

Wataru's eyes fluttered open and pushed himself up. "Where…" He trailed off when the memory of what happened at his hometown came back. He jumped off the bed and staggered to the door only to fall back when it opened.

"Oh, you're awake." Kazu said when he came in.

"Where am I?" Wataru asked, pushing himself away.

"Woa, calm down now." Kazu held up his hands up unthreateningly. "We found you on the base of the mountain and brought you back to our home here in Wecasta."

"Wecasta…I have a letter that I need to give…It's not here!" Wataru cried when he realized that it was not in his pocket.

"Don't worry. We read it and my friend had gone to see the queen about it." Kazu said reassuringly. "So, do you still feel like you need to rest?"

Wataru could only shake his head. Kazu nodded and helped him up. "Good. You've been out the whole day actually. Why don't you come down and join us for dinner?"

"I don't want to intrude…"

"Nonsense." Ami spoke up, coming up from behind Kazu. "You are clearly famished so you need to eat. Besides, Ran and I cooked up a lot but it turns out that the only ones in the house now are us. The rest have went out to who knows where and I know that between Ran, Kazu and I, we won't be able to finish dinner. So you are more than welcome to join."

"I'd recommend that you do." Kazu whispered to him. "My wife can get very mad if you don't."

After a moment of hesitation, Wataru nodded. Ami clapped her hands together delightfully. "Brilliant. I'll inform Ran about this. Don't take too long to clean up." She waved and left the room.

"Thanks for staying." Kazu sighed in relief. "Ami may be nice and rarely gets mad but when she does, it's when someone refuses her invitation to dinner. But trust me, you'll love it."

Comforted by his words, Wataru managed a small smile. "Ok…"

* * *

"Hey Takeru." Asuka greeted him as she entered the forge.

Her brother looked up tiredly from his most recent work and nodded back in greeting. "Asuka, why are you here?"

"I came here to see you since Arata told me that you had shut yourself in here ever since Kazu and Haruki brought Wataru over." She said and sat down on a box near the table.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want him to see me again after all these years." Takeru lifted his head and turned to her. "Everything from Misora Town reminds me of her."

When Asuka did not say anything, he continued, "I know, she always saw me nothing more than a friend but it hurts me every time I think about it."

"I know. I liked Hikari too, all of us did." Asuka said quietly, which was uncharacteristic of her. "But we moved on. Can't you do the same?"

After a quiet pause, Takeru shook his head. "It's hard for me to let her go."

"I know." Asuka sighed. "But it'll go away eventually, trust me, I know the feeling."

"Do you?" Takeru shot back.

Asuka had a blank look when she nodded but refused to divulge any more information. Takeru sighed and resumed doing what he was doing before his sister came by. "Asuka, if you don't have anything more to talk, can you please leave?"

Asuka stared at him for a moment and slowly nodded. She placed a small bundle on the table and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Once Asuka left, Takeru opened the bundle and chowed on the sandwiches inside. He thought back to the time he nearly confessed to Hikari.

* * *

 _"Thanks a lot for making these for me." Takeru thanked Hikari after she had made lunch for Takeru in the form of sandwiches._

 _"You're welcome." Hikari smiled. "You're a blacksmith, so you need more energy to work. So eat up."_

 _Takeru nodded and munched on the sandwiches. "These are good. I bet you have a lot of practice at the palace."_

 _"No, not really." Hikari said sheepishly. "My main job is cleaning the pantry and kitchen but Jessica taught me how to make these sandwiches."_

 _If it was one thing Takeru loved about Hikari, it was her smile and her humble attitude to everything. Once he was done, he brushed the crumbs off his pants and stared at her face. Hikari felt his stare and blushed. "Is there something on my face?"_

 _"Oh, no." Takeru adverted his gaze. "I was just thinking of something. Sorry, I didn't mean to stare at you."_

 _Hikari cocked her head but smiled, taking his word for it. "Well, I better get going though. I told Uchira-san that I'll get more herbs from Hana for her."_

 _"Alright, stay safe…and Hikari?"_

 _"Yes?" Hikari tilted her head to him as she fastened her cloak._

 _'Here it comes.' Takeru took a deep breath. "I really…"_

 _"Hey Takeru!" Asuka grinned as she came in._

 _'Not now sis!' Takeru mentally cried as his attempts in confessing to Hikari was interrupted. He forced a smile and nodded in greeting. "Sis, you're back."_

 _"Asuka." Hikari bowed at the older girl._

 _"Hi Hikari." Asuka hugged the young blond. "Are you going out?"_

 _"Yes. I'll see the both of you later." Hikari bowed again and left._

 _Takeru groaned and rubbed his face with his hand. "You have a very bad sense of timing, sis."_

 _Asuka blinked in confusion. "What did I do?"_

 _"Nothing." Takeru sighed and went back inside the forge before his sister could question him._

* * *

Takeru sighed as he pushed that memory out of his mind and ate the sandwiches that Asuka gave him quietly. He wondered though if he had confessed to Hikari that day, would she accept his feelings and not fallen in love with Muraku Kaidou and she would not have gotten hurt that day.

When he finished the sandwiches, he resumed his work with his newest project.

'This better help us counter the Kaidou's secret weapon.' He thought grimly.

* * *

Jin clenched his fist and slammed it on the throne after hearing the report from one of the messengers. "Bandit…"

"Jin, what's wrong?" Yuno asked worriedly as she came into the throne room. All the advisers and the messenger bowed as she took her place at the throne beside Jin's.

"Bandit took over one of the towns of the Kaidou Empire." Jin said through gritted teeth.

Yuno frowned and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Why did they do that?"

"I don't know the reason myself." Jin shook his head and waved dismissively at the court. Everyone immediately complied and left, leaving the both of them alone.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I want to take back the town but…"

"But what?" Yuno's frown deepened.

"I don't really want to." Jin lowered his head. "The town that Bandit took is in fact Misora Town, the town where Aidara once resided and where I first met Hana. If anything, that town reminds me of what I had lost in order to attain the throne today."

"I see, but think about what the people must be going through right now. If you don't take the town back, then the people will suffer under Bandit." Yuno pointed out.

Jin lifted his head at her. "Maybe you're right…" He straightened up however when one of the palace guards came in.

"Your highness, Adviser Seredy is requesting for a private audience with you."

Jin narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer to Yuno. "I have no doubt that he wants to talk with me about Misora Town. Go back and stay with Hana. Make sure that Daiki is with the both of you at all times."

Yuno nodded and slipped out of the side entrance of the throne room. Jin cleared his throat and waved at the guard. "Bring him in."

"As you wish, your highness." The guard bowed and left the room. A few minutes later, Seredy came into the throne room.

"Your highness, thank you for seeing me today." He said with a bow.

"Cut the act." Jin said coldly. "We both know what you really are and what are your motives for being here today."

"I see." Seredy smiled pleasantly. "In that case, I will cut to the chase. I want you to let Bandit keep Misora Town and not take it back under any circumstances."

"And why should I do that?"

Seredy smirked and turned around. "Hana Kayagi may be out of my reach right now but there are others in the palace who would do anything to get their hands on her, namely Sir Kamiya and your grandfather. If I simply tell them how to find her at certain times, they will not hesitate to lay their hands on her."

Jin's face dropped in horror and he clenched his fist. "…Fine, you can keep Misora Town. But if even one strand of hair from Hana is touched, the deal is off and I will not hesitate to take back the town."

"That is fine by me. If you would excuse me." Seredy bowed and left the throne room.

Jin stared at the door blankly for half an hour before heading back to his room, thankful that his grandfather was out of the kingdom for a few weeks or he would never let him hear the end of it for letting his feelings get in the way.

Once he reached his room, he found Yuno knitting while Hana was busy arranging the flowers in the vase and Daiki was standing guard at the corner of the room.

"Jin." Yuno greeted him and put away her knitting items. "How did it go?"

"Not the way I would have wanted." Jin said evasively. He turned to Daiki and dismissed him.

"What happened?" Yuno asked with a frown once her bodyguard had left the room.

Jin wanted to open his mouth and tell her but he caught sight of Hana and the words were caught in his throat. Seeing this, Hana raised an eyebrow and bowed at Yuno, leaving the room to give them some privacy.

"It was about Hana, wasn't it?" Yuno guessed quietly.

Jin nodded and sat down in his arm chair. "Yes, even now, Seredy knows that my biggest weakness is Hana. If this keeps up, he will continue to use Hana against me as long as she remains in the palace."

"I see." Yuno said quietly. "Is there a way to free Hana?"

"I don't know." Jin shook his head. "In the laws of the Kaidou Empire, once a person is made a slave, there is no way to set him free. Also, Hana was exposed to be a rebel when Seredy brought her here. Even if we free her, she will have to face execution by my grandfather."

"So there is really no way out of this." Yuno sighed heavily.

As much as Jin did not want to admit it, there was actually another option that he does not want to mention at all. 'If Aidara takes her back, I will completely lose her for sure. I cannot let her go back to them.' He thought determinately.


	12. Spying and Tailing

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!**

* * *

When Hana returned to her room that night once Yuno had dismissed her for the day, she collapsed on the bed, pulling out a piece of cloth under it and wiped her face. Her chores were very tiring, not that she was going to complain about it. It's just that while Yuno tries to make her feel comfortable working under her, other people in the palace don't and take advantage of her status as a slave to increase her workload.

A knock on her door made her snap out of her thoughts and cautiously open the door. Much to her surprise, Jin was standing outside.

"Can I come in?" He asked hesitantly.

Hana stared at him for a while, unsure of what to do but eventually opened the door wider and stepped aside to let him come in. Once she locked the door behind him, he pulled her into a tight hug, causing her to jump and squirm in the embrace.

"Hana, let me hold you for a moment." Jin whispered into her ear. Hana stopped struggling though she placed her hands on his chest to create some space between them. She shook her head and managed to push him away.

"Hana, didn't you say that you don't hate me? Why are you pushing me away?" Jin asked with some agitation in his voice.

Hana sighed and reached for the pad of paper and quill pen she kept under her bed and wrote, _"Because it will not be fair to Yuno."_

"What?" Jin cocked his head in confusion. "There's nothing between the both of us. We are only friends. My grandfather was the one who arranged this marriage."

Hana raised her eyebrows as to ask 'so?'. She continued writing and gave the paper to him. _"I heard of everything you had done and I did not dare to believe it but it was true. Yes, I don't hate you but I hate the person that you have become."_

Jin clenched his fist as he finished reading the paper and glanced up to see Hana writing again. This time, she held it up. _"The Jin that I fell in love with knew that he is Jin Kaidou, a person of himself, not a puppet of his grandfather and a monster. Prove to me that he is still there."_

Jin's mouth fell open, not daring to believe his eyes. Hana gave him a small smile and kept her things. His lips quirked up slightly as he understood what she was trying to tell him. "Alright, I'll prove to you that. And I'll make sure that you will stay safe so no one can hurt you."

He kissed her cheek and unlocked the door, leaving the room. Once he was gone, Hana frowned as she mulled over his last words. 'Don't tell me Seredy did something and used me as a bargain chip against Jin.'

* * *

The next day, Haruki and Kazu could be seen heading down the mountain through the tunnels.

"Haruki, you know what you need to do, right?" Kazu asked for confirmation.

Haruki took a deep breath and recited, "I am to observe the situation of Misora Town from afar and not engage a fight with Bandit. Once I have gathered enough information, I need to come back here."

"Right." Kazu nodded as they reached the exit. "I will be waiting here. Good luck."

Taking a deep breath, Haruki nodded and headed out of the tunnels. As soon as he reached the foliage close to the town, he climbed up a tree and started hopping from one branch to another.

'I must be getting out of practice.' He panted when he stopped to catch his breath. But he could see the town from where he was now so he hopped as close as he dared and observed the town. The people were still going on with their daily lives but the atmosphere was anything but friendly. Everyone was tensed as though they expected someone to jump out and kill them. Every few minutes there will be a patrol of three Bandits coming and going. The people fearfully made way for them as the Bandits strolled around, occasionally bullying some of the children or elderly people. None of the people dared to intervene and simply let them.

This made Haruki's blood boil. Had he not been ordered to avoid fighting Bandit, he would have tried to help them without being seen but Ban's orders are orders. He did not dare to disobey Ban so he waited until the patrol moved on before slipping away. As he moved from branch to branch to get back to the tunnels, he spotted two Bandits in the middle of the forest and paused to listen to their conversation.

"…has the runaway been found yet?" Bandit No.1 asked.

"Not yet though Charlotte had said that she wanted to do some investigations herself." Bandit No.2 answered.

"She's going to get into trouble again." Bandit No.1 sighed. "Anyway, come on, we have to keep searching or Seredy-sama will have our heads."

"Where is he anyway?"

"I heard that he had gone back to the palace." His companion answered. "I think he is going to make sure that the king does not send the cavalry to rescue the town."

"Oh, I get it." Bandit No.2 laughed. "He's going to use that slave lady to keep his troops where they are. I can't believe that the king would have a weakness for her."

"No duh." His friend laughed along. "There is a rumor that the king fell in love with her during his trip to the town five years ago so Seredy-sama captured her so that he can control the king."

As they walked off, their voices trailed off but Haruki did not bother to follow them. He had gotten more information than he bargained for and that was good for him. With a smile, he began moving again back to the tunnels.

* * *

"So, did you find anything?" Kazu asked once he returned.

"Yeah." Haruki nodded and began explaining as they headed back to Wecasta. "I found out that the people are still allowed to live their daily lives but there are Bandit patrols every few minutes. Also, I overheard something that tells me that the Empire cannot take back the town from Bandit. It turns out that the king has a soft spot for Hana so Seredy is using her as a bargain chip against him."

Kazu stared at him as he did not believe what he was saying. "…What?"

"I know, it's hard to believe it but that's what I heard."

"…Come on, we better head back and report back to Ban."

* * *

Charlotte could not believe her luck as she followed Haruki and Kazu from behind as they went back to Wecasta. By chance, she had spotted Haruki and tailed him to the tunnels. Now, she was getting a free ticket to Wecasta.

'The runaway brat is sure to be there. What's more, Seredy-sama will be sure to reward me when I present not only the runaway but the secret way to Wecasta through the tunnels.' She thought to herself gleefully.

But unaware to her, she was not as subtle as she thought. Haruki and Kazu had noticed her the moment she started trailing them and allowed her.

"We're going to capture her the moment we reach that place, right?" Haruki whispered to Kazu.

"Yeah." Kazu whispered back. "I can't believe she did not noticed that her footsteps echoed back."

"She's got to be following us so that she can get Wataru."

Kazu bit his lip and motioned Haruki to keep on walking. "Well, she's going to be in for a huge surprise then."

They continued to casually climb up the tunnel while taking several turns here and there. Once they were sure that Charlotte had lowered her guard, they turned into a corner which was actually a dead end and hid behind some rocks. Unsuspectingly, Charlotte follows them but to her surprise, she was jumped on from behind once she was met with the dead end.

"Let me go!" She trashed around.

"Not a chance." Kazu smirked. "We knew that you were following us since we entered the tunnels, Bandit. We'll be taking you to the queen and see what she says."

"Just let me go, I promise I'll leave you alone." She pleaded.

"No can do." Haruki shook his head. "We unfortunately do not trust you and your friends one bit. We'll probably find a knife in our backs once we reach the exit. Which reminds me…" He pulled a long strip of cloth from his pocket and pulled it over her eyes.

"What are you doing?!"

"We won't want you to find out all of our secrets now, do we?" Kazu mocked. "Come on, we better get back. I don't want the others to think that something happened to us and send a search party."

With that, he tossed Charlotte over his shoulder and they continued walking with their prisoner thrashing the whole way back.


	13. Spill

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"So you are saying that none of you has seen Charlotte since yesterday?" Bruce sighed as he, Tooru and Daigo faced the Bandits in front of him.

"No, sir." One of them saluted. "All we know is that she told us that she wants to do some self-investigations for the runaway."

"She's more foolish that we thought." Tooru groaned. "By this time, the runaway is bound to have reached another town or kingdom so there is nothing much we can do about him."

"But what should we tell Seredy-sama about this?" Daigo asked his companions nervously.

Every one of them did not have an answer to that as they realized that Seredy will have their heads for not keeping an eye on Charlotte.

* * *

With Haruki and Kazu on the other hand, they managed to reach Wecasta's palace in good time despite the extra passenger who constantly trashed around to the point where Kazu had to tie her up.

When they got the gates, Takuya was waiting for them there and was visibly surprise by the extra passenger. "Kazu, who's that?"

"She is one of Bandit's members and she was trailing us in the caves so we had no choice but to bring her here." Kazu grunted.

"I see." Takuya nodded in understanding and call for two of the guards. "Place her in the dungeons."

The two guards saluted and pulled Charlotte away with them while Takuya led Kazu and Haruki inside. Once they reached the throne room, they could see that Ban and Arata were already there with the queen.

"Kazu, Haruki, you're back." Arata grinned. "Did you find out anything?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Haruki nodded as he stood beside him. "It turns out that they had a plan all along when they placed Hana in the Empire's palace. The king will not dare to do anything Seredy does not want him to do if it will keep her safe. Which means, they will not be taking back Misora Town anytime soon."

"Come to think about it, Jin Kaidou and Hana were good friends when he visited Misora Town all those years ago." Arata said thoughtfully.

"There is one more thing, we caught a Bandit following us." Kazu added.

"A Bandit?" The three leaders peaked up with curiosity.

"Yes." He nodded. "She was tailing us through the tunnels so we had to bring her along, but we think that she must be looking for Wataru."

"I see." Queen Renneton mused. "Where is she right now?"

"In the dungeons." Takuya told her.

"Bring her in." The queen ordered him. "I want to interrogate her as soon as possible."

"Yes your majesty." Takuya bowed and left for a few minutes. When he returned, Charlotte was hauled inside by two guards and several others behind them.

When Charlotte's eyes landed on Haruki and Kazu, she cast venomous looks at them but they steadily ignored them.

"What is your name?" Queen Renneton asked with an air of quiet authority around her.

Charlotte turned her head to the queen and gulped. "C-charlotte Rein."

"And you are a part of Bandit. Am I right?"

"What's it to you?" Charlotte scowled rudely.

The queen did not say anything but noted her suddenly change in demur. "Why were you following Haruki and Kazuya back then?"

Charlotte's lips curled up into a snarl as she kept quiet, refusing to say a word. Queen Renneton raised an eyebrow and nodded at Ban. He nodded back and stated, "The reason why you were following them is because you wanted to look for the person who escaped Misora Town when you took over it. I don't believe you are foolish enough to simply keep on looking for him at this rate just to prevent him from seeking help. He had escaped your grasp so you wish to return your dignity by finding him. Am I right?"

Charlotte turned pale at Ban's accusations and frantically shook her head. "No, that's not it…"

"Listen Charlotte, I promise that I will not treat you badly or hurt you in anyway if you agree to tell us what Bandit is planning by taking over Misora Town." The queen proposed.

"I can't! And even if I could, I don't even know why in the world did the master order Seredy-sama to attack the town!"

Ban and Arata's heads snapped up at that. Ban carefully asked, "So there is someone behind all of Seredy's decisions?"

"Yes, none of us know who he is other than he is on a level higher than Seredy and he must follow whatever the master says." Charlotte said fearfully.

"So what about Hana Kayagi? Whose idea it was to turn her into a slave?" Ban asked, getting into eyelevel with her.

"Seredy's." Charlotte gulped.

"Not Seredy's master?" Kazu said in surprise.

"I don't know why but when I first joined six years ago, the master had became quiet so Seredy was the one who made all of the decisions regarding Bandit. But just recently, he started communicating with Seredy again."

Haruki, who was quiet until now, decided to be the one who asked the next question. "Is there anyone else in Bandit who communicates with your master other than Seredy?"

"I don't think so…Wait, I think there is one. Seredy-sama's second in command, Kyouji Itan. He is the one whom Seredy gives the most information to in Bandit."

"I see. I think we are done here. Send her back to the dungeons." The queen ordered.

"As you wish." The guards bowed and hauled Charlotte out of the room.

"It seems that we had gotten a lot of information this time around." Ban said thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking about?"

"The third fraction that Muraku mentioned to me and Bandit's master…what if they are the same thing?"

"Maybe, but there is no evidence to support that as of now." Queen Renneton pointed out.

"Then I will have to speak with Muraku again." Ban decided. "He has been working on this for a while so maybe he knows something and did not mentioned it the last time I was there."

"But the monsoon season is making it hard to travel to Machila right now." Kazu reminded him. "But it should be over in a fortnight so hopefully you can wait until then."

"There is one thing I noticed of Charlotte just now. She was initially fearful of us but when I asked her of her position in Bandit, it was almost as though her fear for Bandit, or maybe her master, was more than her fear for us. But even so, she gave us a general knowledge of him." Queen Renneton said quietly.

"Now that you mention it, it does seem strange." Takuya said thoughtfully.

"Ban," Arata spoke up uneasily, "I don't know why but I have a feeling that it was as though…"

"She knew that she would be killed soon." Ban finished grimly and headed for the door. "We have to make sure that she is still safe."

Immediately, he bumped into one of the guards who rushed in in a hurry. "Your highness, the prisoner…she was murdered!"

"What?!" Queen Renneton quickly stood up from her throne. "What happened?"

"We were on our way to the dungeons to imprison her as you commanded when the torches suddenly went off and the next thing we knew, the prisoner was screaming in pain so we quickly re-ignited the torches only to find that she is dead, stabbed in her chest." The guard panted out.

The queen narrowed her eyes as she gave Takuya a look. "Have all of the guards who were at the scene gathered and have the captain of guard interrogate them. Then have Yuusuke inspect the scene."

"I will get to it." Takuya bowed and followed the guard out.

"Ban, do you think Bandit murdered her for divulging all the information she gave us?" Arata asked.

"I don't know. Maybe she knew more than she let on and someone silenced her for that. Or maybe it was a punishment for betraying Bandit." Ban sighed. "But what really worries me is how they killed her. Did they sneak into the dungeons and killed her during the blackout, or did one of the guards carry out the deed? The possibilities are endless."

"Also, the guard did mention that all of the torches went off at once. How is that possible?" Haruki added.

"We don't have the answers yet, but one thing is for certain and that is Bandit is serious in keeping their secrets to themselves." The queen said seriously.

* * *

"Has the deed been done?" Seredy asked Itan.

"Yes." He nodded. "She is permanently silenced."

"I see." Seredy nodded in approval. "Spread the news so that this will serve to be an example for all Bandits."

"As you wish. Is there any news from the master?" Itan asked.

"Not yet." Seredy shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "But we must keep Misora Town within our fist, no matter what."


	14. Emergency meeting

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"Wataru, are you sure that you don't remember anything about what happened at Misora Town when Bandit took over?" Ban asked him for a final confirmation when he and the others returned that night.

"I really don't." He shook his head. "All I remember is our town healer and baker telling me that the town is invaded by Bandit and then the next thing I knew, I escaped the town through a hole in one of the walls and was avoiding Bandit as I ran."

"I see. Thanks." Ban nodded. "Sorry for disturbing you this late."

"It's fine." Wataru shrugged. "But are you going to save the town soon?"

Ban really did not want to make him unhappy since he actually had no plans yet to do so until they had more information regarding Seredy, his master and his intentions for taking the town. Instead, he weakly nodded. "We're trying to think of something."

Later, he called for a meeting with everyone in the basement once he was sure that Wataru was asleep.

"I'm sorry for calling all of you here so late. We need to urgently decide on several things that cannot wait any longer." Ban said as he sat down at the head of the table and the others took their seats as well.

"Well, any urgent matters should be worth our sleep." Gouda joked but frowned as he noticed that Asuka and Takeru were not around. "Where are the Kojou siblings?"

"Asuka went to get Takeru from the forge." Hiro told him and turned to Ban. "So what is this all about?"

"Seredy and Bandit." Ban told them grimly. "I fear that while all this time we were focusing on the Kaidou Empire, we neglected to remember that our enemy isn't only them. Bandit had caused more trouble than we originally anticipated."

"Sorry we're late." Asuka gasped as she and Takeru burst into the basement. "Did we miss anything?"

"No." Ban shook his head and nodded at the empty seats which they took. "As I was saying, Bandit had caused more trouble than we originally anticipated. They kidnapped Hana under our noses and turned her into a slave, blackmailed Jin with her life and took over Misora Town. Ami, can you explain to everyone about what we know about Bandit now?"

Ami nodded and stood up. "As we all already know, their leader was presumably Seredy. However, with what Charlotte Rein told us before she was murdered, we now know that there is someone higher than Seredy in terms of power over Bandit. But we have no idea who it is and our only theory is that this person has a connection to the third fraction that Muraku Kaidou told us about."

"Then shouldn't we see him about this?" Ran asked.

"I was planning to." Ban told her. "But I have to wait for the monsoon season to end before I can travel there.

"Then what about Hana? Should we think of a way to rescue her?" Arata put in.

"I don't know." Ban sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "But given that she is the one who is keeping Jin from taking back the town, I doubt that Seredy would actually do her any harm. But that doesn't mean that she will be entirely safe in the palace."

"Wait. The queen is the princess of Odela, right?" Hikaru realized.

"Yes." Ban nodded, wondering what Hikaru had in mind.

"I just had a thought, if the queen is from Odela, then wouldn't she often return there to see her father, the king?"

Arata's eyes turned wide as he realized what he was thinking. "You mean, we should find Hana in Odela when the queen goes back there?"

"Exactly." Hikaru nodded. "Odela doesn't have an Empiren presence due to the fact that its princess is married to the king of the empire. Which means, we can sneak into Odela when the queen is going back to visit and find a way to get to Hana."

"I see." Ban closed his eyes. "Alright. We'll plan our next move to Odela as soon as we find out when the queen will be going back there. So we already have that down, and as for Seredy and Bandit, we'll wait until I see Muraku again and gather more information of our own."

"Then about Misora Town…"

"I'm afraid that we have to leave that all to Queen Renneton. There is no way we can take on Bandit as we are now. So we'll talk to her again tomorrow and see if she will agree to send her troops to fight Bandit. By the way, we need to keep an eye out for this Itan Kyouji. Since he is Seredy's right hand man, we can assume that he is just as dangerous as Seredy is and he is most probably the one who killed Charlotte." He paused and looked around the table. "So have we covered all grounds yet?"

Takeru raised his hand and stood up. "Actually, I have something to say. I think I may have found a way to counter Kaidou's secret weapon."

"Really?" Ban lifted his head in surprise.

"Yes." Takeru nodded. "I'll show it to you tomorrow."

"Alright. This meeting is now adjourned."

* * *

Mike whimpered as thunder and lightning flashed outside the cottage and the only comfort was Muraku's hand on his head as he was taking care of him for the night while Mikhail and Vanessa caught up with their sleep. They had several sleepless nights for two weeks when the thunderstorms woke up Mike and kept them up so Muraku offered to take a turn that night. Right now, they were in Mike's room with Muraku trying to comfort him.

"What's wrong Mike?" Muraku gently stroke his hair.

"Scary." He whimpered. As the lightning flashed again outside, Mike screamed and ducked beneath the blankets. Muraku knew that it could be scary for toddler like Mike to be scared of lightning and thunder. Heck, he had been scared of them when he was a kid. But Jin was always by his side then to comfort him.

"Hey Mike." Muraku carefully pulled the blanket off him. "Why are you scared of thunder and lightning?"

"They lou' an' bright." Mike whispered. "Scary."

"They sure are." Muraku sighed. "I used to be scared of them too."

Mike blinked his large purple eyes in surprise. "Really?"

Muraku had to suppress a chuckle at this. 'Mike is really Mikhail's child. He looks exactly like him and has similar actions as him.'

He cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah. But whenever there was a thunderstorm, my brother would always comfort me."

"Yu have a bro'er?" Mike asked curiously.

"Yeah." Muraku nodded, not wanting to tell him that he no longer thinks of Jin as his brother anymore.

"Mama wan' ano'er me." Mike said dreamily.

Muraku blinked in surprise this time. This was the first of it that he heard that Vanessa wants another child. "What did she say?"

But Mike was already fast asleep, snoring lightly. Muraku figured that he would be alright for the night since the storm was already letting up so he went back to his room and fell onto his bed. But Mike's words were spinning in his head. He wondered though if Mikhail would even want another child so soon since he mentioned to him once that he was scared that the Empire would catch up to them.

'I might as well talk to Vanessa about this.' He figured. But something else was bothering him that kept him up. 'Does Jin still have a heart after all this time? Ban seems to think that he does…' He closed his eyes as he drifted off, deciding to ask Ban again if he saw him again.

* * *

The next morning, Vanessa got up early like usual to prepare breakfast but she was surprise to see that Muraku was already awake too. "Morning."

"Good morning." Muraku smiled at her and helped her to get ready for breakfast.

"So how's Mike?"

"He was fast asleep the last I saw him last night." Muraku smiled.

"Thanks for taking care of him last night." She said as she picked up some plates.

"It was my pleasure." Muraku inclined his head. "Mike did mention something to me about you wanting another child."

Vanessa nearly dropped the plates and gave Muraku a queer look. "Is that what he told you?"

"Yeah." Muraku nodded.

Vanessa sighed and put down the plates, sitting at the table. "Yes, I really want another child but when I brought this up with Mikhail, he said that it was too early as Mike is not even two yet. But I can tell that that's not all. He's afraid that if I have another child, we will be putting it in the same situation as Mike."

"I see." Muraku said thoughtfully. "Maybe you should talk to him about it. But personally, I think it is really best to wait."

Vanessa did not say anything but looked away with a forlorn look. Muraku could tell that she was disappointed with this but there was something else bothering her though he could not place a finger on it.


	15. A new weapon and a new friend

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Ban and Arata barely managed to conceal their excitement as they followed Takeru down to the forge.

"So what is this thing that you made?" Arata asked, bouncing on his toes.

"Well, to be honest, it is quite a simple invention." Takeru shrugged as he unlocked the doors to the forge. "We all know now that Kaidou's weapon is in fact a cannon of some sort that can shoot ammunitions that is coated with gunpowder from China. This makes the ammunitions explode when they come into contact with their target. So, I've managed to make something that could help us counter it."

He led them to his workshop and pulled the sheet off the table, revealing a large rectangular shield which was made of steel and there was some sort of opening in the center.

"A shield?" Arata asked, feeling stun.

"Not just any shield." Takeru chuckled and held it up. "Look at this." He pointed at the back where there was some sort of pipe leading from the opening to a small wooden container and a rubber pump. "I've been researching on gunpowder for a while and I found out that if it gets wet, it will automatically be rendered useless. So I was thinking that if we soak the shields before battle and keep them wet so that the gunpowder will not work and therefore, the ammunitions will be harmless, especially with the shields made of reinforced steel."

"I see." Ban took the shield from him and held it up. "It's certainly light too but won't soaking it make it rusty?"

"I know." Takeru sighed. "But I haven't found anything that can keep the shield wet while preventing it from rusting yet. If I have to say, we can use the shield in two battles the least before needing to change it.

"Well, it's a start anyway." Ban said encouragingly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sakuya will be recovered from his flu by tomorrow so he will be helping out. But until then, why don't you take a break. I heard from Asuka that you have been working yourself hard for the past month."

"I wish I could, but there is just too much work to do here." Takeru sighed and sat down on one of the stools.

"But Takeru, if you keep on working without rest, you'll burn yourself out before you complete the shields." Arata pointed out.

"But…"

"Arata is right." Ban gently cut in. "Look, it wouldn't hurt to rest for a day and continue with your work tomorrow when Sakuya is all better and you are freshly rested."

"I suppose so." Takeru finally relented. "Fine, but just for today. I'm going to go hiking in the forest for today then."

"Hiking?" Arata raised an eyebrow quizzically. "You never wanted to go hiking before."

"I need a change of scenery." Takeru explained as he headed up to his room.

"Is it just me or is there something different with him?" Arata wondered once his friend went up.

"I think so to but I'm sure that he'll be fine." Ban smiled. "Come on, we better head back now. Ami should be back by now after meeting Queen Renneton."

* * *

'Well, I can't believe that I'm lost already.' Takeru thought grouchily, sitting down on the log he had come across five times a few minutes ago. 'One day off and I get lost. I'm never letting Arata and Ban convince me to take the day off again.'

He stood up and brushed his pants, wondering if there was a path that he missed and started walking again. Unbeknown to him, a figure in a cloak was watching his every move with her sharp green eyes.

She giggled softly and silently followed him. "Mama Bear won't be happy if he gets close to her den."

Sure enough, Takeru stopped when he spotted a cave entrance and frowned. "What cave is that?"

A growl emitted from the cave, causing him to back off. A large black bear stormed out of the cave looking very angry. When she her eyes spotted Takeru, she let out a vicious roar.

"Oh dear." Takeru trembled as his feet became jelly as they were too scared to run him to safety.

The bear growled menacingly and pawed the ground irritably as though it wanted to charge at him. But it suddenly stopped and got on its hind legs as it cocked its head around.

'What now?!' Takeru panicked when soothing music floated through the air. The bear swayed with the music and let out a content purr. It got back down on all fours and went back into the cave.

"That was a close one." The hooded figure jumped down from her hiding spot with a flute in hand. She carefully approached Takeru who was standing still on the spot. "Are you alright?"

She did not get any answer though as Takeru fell back unconscious. She quickly grabbed his arm before he hit the ground. "I guess that answers that." She sweatdropped and swung his arm around her shoulder, dragging him off to the bushes.

XXXXXXX

"So any news from the queen?" Ban asked Ami once she returned from her meeting.

"Yup." Ami nodded. "She agreed to send part of her troops to chase Bandit out of Misora Town now that she is sure that the Empire won't make any move."

"That's great to hear." Ban smiled. "Now we can free everyone from Misora Town."

"By the way, where is Takeru?" Ami asked. "I met Asuka on the way back and she said that he wasn't at the forge."

"We convinced him to take the day off so he said that he wanted to go hiking." Arata told her.

"What!?" Gouda exclaimed, having being nearby and heard everything. "Don't you know that now is the worst time to be in the forest? The mating season for bears had just past and the females are now very aggressive now that they are having their cubs!"

"Say what?!"

* * *

The hooded figure placed Takeru onto the ground beside a small lake. Reaching into her pocket, she took out a handkerchief, soaking it in the lake and pressing it on his face. "Really, fainting after encountering Mama Bear. I guess she really scared him real bad back then."

Takeru the shifted and slowly opened his eyes. "Where am I?"

"So you're awake." The figure crouched down and helped him sit up. "That was very dangerous of you to get close to Mama Bear's den. If I haven't been there, she would have turned you into a meal for her cubs."

"Mama Bear?"

"Yeah, she's a little overprotective of her cubs." She smiled under her hood and pushed it off, revealing a young lady his age with shoulder length auburn hair and sharp green eyes. "I'm Reika and the protector of the animals of the forest."

"I'm Takeru." Takeru introduced himself, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Reika took it and shook it. "What were you doing in the forest?"

"Well, I wanted to clear my mind so I took a day off from my work and came to the forest for a hike." Takeru explained. "Thanks for saving me back there, by the way."

"Just be careful the next time." Reika said amusedly. "Where are you from?"

"Wecasta. Do you know how to get back there?"

Reika nodded and helped him to stand up. "I can show you the way out of the forest but you are on your own from there. I don't want anyone from the town to know who I am." She said, drawing up her hood.

As they walked through the forest, Takeru turned to Reika, "So, can I ask you something personal?"

"It depends on what it is." Reika shrugged.

"May I ask why you are living in the forest and not willing to enter the town?"

Reika came to a halt in her tracks and gave him a weird look. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No, not at all." Takeru shook his head. "I'm just curious."

"Well, I can't really tell since there is not much to explain." Reika sighed. "To be honest, I've been living with the forest since I was a child with no memory of what I was before. The only thing that I can remember is a voice telling me to never leave the forest."

"Wow." Takeru said, stunned by this.

"Takeru, can I ask that you don't tell anyone about me just yet? I want to keep my existence a secret from the people of Wecasta." Reika said seriously.

'I wonder why?' Takeru wondered inwardly but nodded.

"Thanks." Reika beamed. They soon came to a clearing and she pointed at the path on the right. "If you keep on going there, you will soon reach your destination."

"Thanks." Takeru nodded at her gratefully and went down the said path.

As she watched him go, Reika smiled under her hood and leaped up to a branch, jumping from tree to tree with relative ease back to her little hut. Takeru on the other hand was surprise that he had arrived back at the town in less than fifteen minutes and from his vantage on high ground, he could see the sun setting.

"The sun is so beautiful." He whispered to himself. "I never got to see it like this." But he then realized that it also meant that it was getting late so he quickened his pace and quietly entered the house when Asuka materialized out of nowhere and grabbed his shoulder.

"Where in the world have you been!?" She half yelled. "I've been looking all over town for you and when Ban told me that you were in the forest, I started to worry since the bears are more aggressive at this time of the year."

"Sorry about that." Takeru rubbed his head sheepishly. "I…I didn't encounter any bears today." He lied.

"Thank goodness." Asuka sighed in relief, clearly having bought the lie. "Well, go get cleaned. Ran and I will be done with supper soon."

"Of course." Takeru nodded and hurriedly went off to his room so before Asuka could interrogate him again. 'If she knew that I was lying, she'll go ballistic but I did promise Reika that I'll keep quiet about her.' He then smiled as he thought about her. 'Oh well, at least I have a new friend now.'


	16. Departure

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

 _Two weeks later_

"Is that everything you need?" Catherin asked Yuno once she was done packing her clothes for her trip back to Odela.

"Yes." She nodded and tapped her fingers on her chin. "I think I would have Hanako stay back again and bring Hana with me this time."

"Are you sure about that?" Catherina asked skeptically. "I mean, it could create an uproar that she's…you know."

"Which is why we won't mention it at all." Yuno grinned. "If we don't say a word about it, how can anyone know?"

"I guess so." Catherin cocked her head. "By the way, his highness asked for double protection for the trip. After what happened at Misora Town, he does not want to take chances in case Bandit attacks again."

"Do you really think that it is necessary? I mean, Bandit was already chased away thanks to Wecasta who strangely left the town alone after that." Yuno pointed out.

"Shh!" Catherin quickly covered her mouth with her hand. "Not so loud! You could get executed for saying things like that." She quickly glanced out of the door and thankfully, Sendou was the only one there and it seems that he did not hear anything. She sighed in relief once she closed the door and went back to Yuno's side. "You know how touchy his highness and his grandfather are about it. It's best not to talk about it. Just accept the doubled protection with a smile and don't question it."

"Fine." Yuno sighed. "By the way, where is Hana?"

"She and Kiyoka are down at the gardens." Catherin informed her. "Shall I call them up?"

"Please do." Yuno nodded.

Catherin bowed and left the room. Yuno continued to sort her things until Jin entered.

"Oh, Jin." Yuno bowed at him.

"Yuno, are you sure that you want to go back to Odela?" He asked concernedly. "Bandit's activities have been increasing recently so there will be a high chance that they will attack you."

"I'll be fine." She said reassuringly. "Besides, you already doubled my protection."

"But that does not make me feel better." Jin muttered under his breath, remembering what happened five years ago when Bishop was revealed to be in cahoots with Seredy.

"Relax." Yuno tried to reassure him by placing her hand on his shoulder. "Sendou is more than capable of protecting me and the others."

"That's not my main concern." Jin said to himself but Yuno heard it.

"You're worried of the reaction of what my parents would get when they see Hana." Yuno stated, raising an eyebrow. "You don't have to worry about that, I have it all taken cared of."

"I'll take your word for it." Jin managed a small smile. "But do take care. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Yuno nodded and embraced him. "Don't worry. I can take care of myself. Besides, it's just two weeks. If anything happens, I'll turn back or head to the nearest town."

"That's good enough for me I suppose." Jin said and broke away as someone knocked on the door.

"Yuno, I have Kiyoka and Hana with me." Catherin called through the door.

"Alright, give me a minute." She called back and turned to Jin. "Do you need a brief private moment with Hana?"

"No." Jin shook his head. "I have to head back to the throne room now. I wish you a safe trip to Odela."

"Thank you." Yuno bowed and Jin left through another door. Once he was gone, Yuno called Catherin in.

"So are will all set?" She asked.

"Yes." Catherin bowed with Kiyoka and Hana following her suit.

Yuno broke into a grin and gave them her bags. "Then let's get going!"

* * *

"You have everything that you need?" Kazu asked before Ban headed out to Machila again.

"Yup. Please take care of things here while I'm gone." Ban shook his hand. "I'll try to be back by next week."

"It'll be very strange to not have you here for that long." Ami shook her head. "And even weird to not have Asuka and Gouda around. It'll be a very quiet house for one week."

"Yeah. But I doubt that they will take long." Kazu shrugged. "I mean, they just have to head to Odela to find Hana and get a word to her then come back."

"It won't be as easy as that." Ban frowned. "They have to make sure that no one sees them and reach Hana when she is not in the palace. I doubt that Queen Yuno would simply let her go out on her own into town. In fact, there is a chance that they may not be able to even see Hana."

"Right." Kazu scratched his head. "Well, other than speaking with Muraku about Bandit and the third fraction, what are you going to do there?"

"I think I'll try to gather more information regarding Bandit in the surrounding areas in case Muraku missed anything."

Kazu and Ami exchanged frowns and turned back to him. "Ban, do be careful and come back safely. Otherwise, our child wouldn't have his godfather to greet him."

Ban blinked in surprise at them. "Ami, you're…"

"Yup." She nodded with a smile. "Three months already. But while Kazu think it is a boy, I believe it is a girl."

"How can you tell?" Kazu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A mother's intuition." Ami winked at him.

Ban slowly broke into a smile and hugged the both of them. "Congratulations. When we come back, we'll throw a party to celebrate this."

"But of course." Ami nodded. "Where is Arata by the way?"

"He's out on an errand but I already said my goodbyes to him." Ban told her and got on his horse. "Goodbye."

"We'll see you soon." Kazu and Ami waved.

Ban waved back and snapped the reins, sending the horse moving. 'I hope Asuka and Gouda manage to get to Hana and at least deliver my message. Even if she does not want to return, I'm sure that she would at least know that she will be protected no matter where she is.'

* * *

As Yuno and her bodyguards moved through the forest, she could not help but feel that they were being followed and occasionally glanced behind her.

"Your highness, is there something the matter?" Sendou asked quietly when he noticed her actions.

"I feel like we are being followed ever since we left the palace." She answered back and glanced back. "Can you check and see if there is anything?"

"Of course." Sendou nodded and had two guards go and check.

Hana, who was riding beside Yuno knew that her hunch was correct as she too sensed that someone was trailing behind them. But as to who and why, she had no idea. The two guards that were sent came back and shook their head at Sendou.

He nodded back and whispered to Yuno, "They found nothing your highness."

"I see. Maybe I'm just being a little paranoid." Yuno sighed.

"To be honest, I don't think so." Sendou narrowed his eyes. "I too felt something but until you brought it up, I didn't think too much about it. I will have the guards to tighten security."

"Thank you." Yuno nodded and turned back to in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something flying towards her but by the time she turned her head to see what it was, Hana tackled her off her saddle just as a spear flew past where she was sitting originally on her horse.

"Your highness!" Sendou jerked his head at the direction which the spear came from as Kiyoka and Catherin helped Yuno and Hana up. "Men, form a perimeter around the queen!"

The soldiers immediately held up their shields and formed a circle around the ladies, daring anyone to come close.

"What's going to happen now?" Yuno wondered worriedly.

"We don't know." Catherina and Kiyoka shook their heads.

Hana did not give any reply and peaked over the guards' shoulders. She pointed at the spear that landed not too far away from the perimeter and mouthed 'Bandit'.

"Eh? So Bandit is behind this?" Yuno frowned.

Hana nodded and pointed at the spear again. Yuno looked at it and saw the word 'Bandit' carved onto the wood. Sendou also noticed this and tensed. "Your highness, with all due respect, I suggest that we head back to the palace while we still can."

Yuno's face darkened at that suggestion. "But Sendou…"

"Your safety is our main priority." He cut in. "It is best that we leave before Bandit comes."

Yuno was getting frustrated at him but Catherin and Kiyoka seemed to be in agreement with him. As she opened her mouth to protest, someone rode over to them.

"Identify yourself!" Sendou snapped.

"Why, don't you recognize me, old friend?" The ride asked with an amused smile.

"Rondo." Sendou sighed in relief as more soldiers with Odela's armor showed up. "What are you doing here?"

Rondo frowned and bowed in front of Yuno as the guards stepped aside to let her out of the perimeter. "His highness sent us here. King Jin had informed us about Bandit's activities so he asked to send us here in case something should happen and escort you safely to Odela."

"I see. Thank you." Yuno inclined her head at him and turned to Hana. "Thank you for saving me just now."

Hana bowed but inwardly, she was wondering if it was really Bandit who attacked even though the carving stated that it was.

"Now, may we continue on to Odela now?" Yuno asked Sendou hopefully.

"I suppose so." Sendou nodded, knowing that with the extra protection of Rondo's troops, the chances of Bandit attacking them again was close to nil. "Alright, saddle up and we may continue our journey!"

There was a clatter of soldiers resuming their positions and people climbing back up their saddles as they continued moving to Odela with Rondo and his troops guarding all sides.

"Yuno, isn't it great that his highness alerted your father?" Catherin smiled.

"Yes." Yuno forced a smile. "I'm glad that Rondo showed up. Not that Sendou isn't a good bodyguard, but I feel much secure with them around."

"Well, we should be glad that he showed up when he did." Kiyoka stated.

Yuno nodded but wondered about Jin's motives. Had he foresaw the danger and asked her father to send more soldiers to guard her? If so, then did he also inform Hana about this?

'Hana was certainly quick to react and saved my life.' She privately thought. 'But why did she do so? She was part of Aidara in the past and probably would not be sorry to see me die since I'm the queen of the Kaidou Empire, her enemy.'

But as she asked herself more questions, she could not find any answer to any of them. 'The only option would be to ask her.' She decided. 'And I want to know why she saved me in the first place.'


	17. Encounters (Part 1)

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"My dear, welcome back." Yuno's father greeted her when they arrived at Odela's palace. "I am glad to see that you are safe. When Jin wrote to me and mentioned of the possibilities of Bandit attacking you, I immediately sent Rondo to escort you back."

"I am thankful for his extra protection." Yuno hugged him. "Before he showed up, someone tried to kill me with a spear."

"My dear, are you alright then?" He asked worriedly.

"Yes." Yuno nodded. "Thankfully, my newest servant, Hana saved me."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows. "I must meet her and thank her personally for saving you then."

"I don't think that would be a good idea." Yuno cut in quickly and added, "She was abused before I met her and rendered mute because of that. So she has a hard time around strangers and freaks out easily. But if you want, I can thank her for you."

"You are always too kind, my dear." Her father chuckled. "It doesn't surprise me that you had taken someone like her in. Alright then, please do so. But I wish to at least meet her once before you leave."

"Sure father." Yuno pulled away and bowed. "I'm afraid that the trip back made me tired so I want to go back to my room and rest."

"Take your time." He patted her shoulder. "I will have someone call you down for supper."

"Thank you." Yuno bowed again and headed up to her room. Once alone she turned to Hana. "Hana, thank you again for saving my life."

Hana shook her head and waved it off as though to say that it was nothing.

"Catherin, can you and Kiyoka go bring my things up." She turned to her other two servants.

"Of course." And they left the room, leaving only Yuno and Hana inside.

"Hana, can I ask as to why did you save me?" Yuno asked. "It was clear that you were once part of Aidara so there is no reason why you should do so."

Hana stared at her for a moment in surprise but eventually smiled and took out her pen and paper pad. _"Because it would have been wrong to not do so. You are the first person in the palace to show me kindness, so I owe you more than you think."_

"You don't have to owe me anything." Yuno protested. "I was kind to you because I wanted to, not because I expect a return."

 _"Not a lot of people have been kind to me. So I cherish every single one of them and will do anything to keep them safe."_

"I see. But still, please don't throw away your life for my sake." Yuno pleaded. "You are my friend and I will never forgive myself if anything happens to you on my account."

Hana did not seem to take this to heart but nodded nevertheless.

Yuno seemed please at this and pushed her out of the door. "Why don't you go out and see the town? You don't have to worry about people looking down at you since no one actually knows your position."

'I guess that's fine with me.' Hana thought so she nodded and bowed before leaving.

"I hope that she has fun while in town." Yuno smiled to herself and closed the door behind her.

* * *

'Wow, this place is large than I expected.' Hana thought to herself with a slightly amazed expression as she roamed around the town, careful to avoid large crowds. Despite Yuno's assurance that no one would know that she was a slave, she would rather stay away from people.

While she walked down the street, she accidentally bumped into someone who was arguing with her companion.

"Excuse me." The person apologized and did a double take when she saw Hana who had an equally disbelieving look at her and her companion.

'Asuka and Gouda!? What are they doing here?'

Gouda looked around and quickly pulled the two ladies into the alley beside them before anyone could notice them. Once he was sure that they were safe, he gave Asuka a thumbs up. She returned the gesture and pulled Hana into a hug which made Hana stiffened but eventually returned the gesture.

"Where were you?" Asuka asked when she finally broke away. "We were so worried and we did not know if you were dead or alive."

Hana only gave them a watery smile and looked away. She was not ready to face her former teammates despite being happy to see them again. Wanting to change the subject, she pulled out her pen and paper out of her pouch and wrote, _"What are you guys doing here anyway?"_

"We came here because we heard that you would be coming here too. But we didn't expect it to be this easy to find you, given that you would probably be in the palace for the whole duration of Queen Yuno's stay." Gouda explained.

"But it looks like we didn't have to think too much." Asuka gave her a small smile.

 _"So why are you looking for me?"_ Hana asked, dreading the answer.

"We wanted to rescue you and bring you back to Wecasta."

Hana stared at them for a few seconds and shook her head. _"No, I cannot leave just yet."_

"What?!" Asuka and Gouda exclaimed. "But why not!?"

 _"That's because I cannot leave Yuno alone. If I leave now, Seredy might use her instead as a bargaining chip against Jin. Also, don't worry, she's a nice person so nothing will happen to me."_

Gouda and Asuka exchanged glances and sighed. The latter then took out a paper and gave it to Hana. "Ban had somehow predicted this so he asked me to give this to you should you refuse to come back."

Hana took it and scanned through it.

 _Hana,_

 _I know that you may not want to come back if my hunch is correct so I just want to let you know that all of us are fine and we are safe here in Wecasta. Also, Queen Renneton has her spies all over the Empire including the palace. If needed, they will keep you safe from a distance._

 _From, Ban_

Hana crumpled the paper and gave it back to Asuka with a nod. _"Thank you. There is one thing however I would like to ask you to look into."_

"And what's that?"

 _"This morning, someone tried to kill Yuno with a spear with the name 'Bandit' carved on it. But I don't think that it is really them for they would attack in groups and not simply attack with one weapon and withdraw."_

"I see." Gouda said thoughtfully. "In that case, we'll tell Ban and the rest about this so that we can look into it."

"Oh, we're staying here for a day or two since it would be suspicious for us to leave the same day we arrived." Asuka informed her. "If you want we can meet up again here before we leave."

 _"I don't know if Yuno would let me off at all. So let's assume that I will not be seeing any of you for a while."_ Hana reluctantly wrote.

"I guess we should do the same then." Gouda sighed. "You should go back to the palace now. It's getting late."

Hana nodded and gave them one last hug before leaving the alley and headed back.

* * *

Given that Yuno gave him the rest of the day off, Sendou headed to the tavern in town and at down at the only free table left.

"Nice to see that you are back." The tavern owner greeted him and placed a drink in front of him.

"Thank you Lex." Sendou raised his cup in greeting. "How's business?"

"Pretty quiet for a while." Lex shrugged. "Well, do expect some strangers to share a table with you. It's too crowded here today."

"Of course." Sendou nodded although inwardly, he wish that no one else would come in tonight but fate had different ideas. Not too long later, Gouda and Asuka came in and looked around for an empty table. Lex went over and greeted them, directing them to his table.

'Great.' He inwardly cringed as they sat down and ordered something to eat. While Gouda ordered wine though, Asuka order tomato juice. In fact, Sendou had to do a double take to be certain that Asuka is a female given that she was wearing man's clothing and the only feminine feature of hers is her long blond hair.

"I think it's going to rain soon." Gouda pointed out to his companion.

"Yeah." She said in agreement and glanced at Sendou. "I hope that you don't mind us sharing a table with you."

"I'm only sharing because I have to." He answered.

"Oi, there's no need to be so rude." Gouda said in annoyance.

"You're too noisy." Sendou muttered but unfortunately Gouda heard it.

He grabbed Sendou by the collar and yelled, "What was that!?"

"Stop it, the both of you." Lex demanded as he came over. "I do not tolerate violence in my tavern so settle it or leave."

Gouda grunted and released him. Asuka rolled her eyes and thrusted her tomato juice in front of him. "Do I have to make you drink 20 cups of tomato juice just to make you behave?"

"No, of course not." Gouda said sullenly.

"Good." Asuka nodded and turned to Sendou. "I will carry out my threat on you too if you cause trouble again."

Sendou did not dare to talk back as there was something in her tone that made him believe that she will if he did. From the counter, Lex seemed satisfied that no quarrels would break out so he served them their meals. As they ate, the heavens opened and rain poured down heavily.

"I don't think you can go back tonight." Lex told Sendou as he came over to pay. "The rain is too heavy for you to even see your way."

"I guess I'll just stay a night here then." He sighed.

"We would like two rooms please." Gouda suddenly pushed him aside.

Lex glanced between Gouda, Asuka and Sendou as he thought of something. "I'm afraid that I only have two rooms free tonight. Sendou, I think you are going to share with them again."

'Not again.' Gouda and Sendou thought at the same time but Asuka answered for them. "Of course, he can share a room with him." She said, pointing at Gouda.

"What?!"

Asuka pulled him aside and whispered, "Listen, he's the bodyguard of Queen Yuno. If we get into disagreements with him, he will no doubt tell her about us and people will put two and two together if we are not careful."

"Fine." Gouda said begrudgingly.

Asuka smiled sympathetically and patted his shoulder. She turned back to Sendou and Lex and took one of the keys. "Then that settles it. I'll see you tomorrow morning Gouda. Oh, and if I heard the both of you arguing again, I will drag the both of you down and force you to drink all of the tomato juice here."

Neither men dared to say anything to her but glared at each other heatedly when they thought she was not looking. She sighed and headed up to her room. 'This is going to be a long night.'


	18. Encounters (Part 2)

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

The next morning, Asuka went down to the dining room and much to her surprise, Gouda and Sendou were silently eating breakfast while ignoring each other. She went over to the bar where Lex gave her a plate of food while chuckling at her astonish face.

"I know. It's hard to believe that they are acting peaceful for the moment." He laughed. "But I think your threats did work. I didn't hear a whisper from their room at all last night."

"Well, I'm glad that they are not trying to kill each other at the moment." Asuka said mildly and went over to their table. "Morning."

"Morning." They grumbled.

"So Gouda, we will be leaving today, right?" Asuka asked pleasantly.

"The sooner the better." Gouda muttered.

"Glad to hear that." Sendou said under his breath. Thankfully, Gouda was too engross with his food to hear him but Asuka did and kicked him under the table.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" She asked him in a low voice. "I don't want to attract any more attention than the both of you already have."

"Don't worry, my problem is not with you but him." Sendou muttered back.

"Oi Asuka, finish up your breakfast or I will." Gouda playfully tried to swipe her sausage but Asuka moved her plate so that he missed.

"Gouda, may I remind you that not everyone eats like a bear like you." She said with a raised eyebrow at him.

"Fine." Gouda sulked and waited for Asuka to finish.

On the other hand, Sendou got up and paid for his meal as soon as he was done and left the tavern. "I'm glad to be away from him. He really gets on my nerves."

"Brother, there you are." Kiyoka called when she spotted him when he entered the palace gates. "Yuno was wondering where you are when you didn't come back last night.

"Sorry, the thunderstorm made me unable to return last night." Sendou hugged her. "Did Yuno mention when are we going to head back?"

"Not for a while." Kiyoka shook her head as they walked to the palace. "I'm afraid that King Jin had requested that we remain here until he is done setting up the patrols to look out for Bandit."

"Well, I can't blame him for worrying." Sendou shrugged. "Yuno is too stubborn at times to even take care of her safety."

"I know." Kiyoka sighed in agreement. "By the way, there is some news about the assassination attempt from yesterday. They found a man hung from a tree just last night and in his pocket, there is a note saying that he was the one who tried to kill Yuno."

Sendou looked at her sharply and frowned. "Really?"

Kiyoka nodded yes and Sendou's frown deepened.

'How is it possible that at the same time, those two arrived at the tavern last night? There is definitely something suspicious of them. I better keep my eyes open if I see them again.' Sendou thought to himself.

* * *

"So you haven't told him yet?" Nozomi placed a cup of water in front of Vanessa when she and Mike came over to visit that day. Currently, Mike was playing with Rover not too far from their view.

"No." She shook her head and took a sip of the water. "I don't even know what to tell him."

"Vanessa, I know how much you and Mikhail want another child, but hiding this from him…"

"It's more complicated than that." Vanessa cut in. "Our past with the Empire had already placed Mike and I in danger before so I'm afraid of what he would say when he finds out."

"Well, I can understand that. But wouldn't it be easier if Muraku just surrendered to make them leave you alone?" Nozomi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nozomi, Muraku is my friend and there is no way we would let him do that even if it cost us our peaceful lives!" Vanessa protested. "I would never forgive myself if I let him do that just to keep myself and Mike safe."

"Alright, I hear you." Nozomi sighed. "But you are going to have to find a way to tell Mikhail about your pregnancy before it's too late."

"I know." Vanessa buried her head in her hands but looked up when the doors opened and her jaw dropped open when Ban stepped in. He glanced at her in surprise as he made his way to the bar.

"I would like a room for tonight please." He asked Nozomi politely.

"Sure." She nodded and handed him a key. "Will that be all?"

"Yes." He nodded and turned to Vanessa. "It's nice to see you again, Vanessa."

"Like wise." She smiled faintly. "Can I assume that you are looking for Muraku again?"

"I'm afraid so. Certain things has been happening in Wecasta and I think he has some answers that I need." Ban explained and at Vanessa's worried expression, he quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, I'm just here to ask a few questions and I will leave. I'm not going to ask him to come with me or anything."

"I see." Vanessa said quietly and went over to Mike and picked him up. "I will drop a word to him. But I'm afraid that you will have to wait for tomorrow to see him. He and Mikhail are currently away at the moment and will not be back until tomorrow evening."

"Thanks." Ban inclined his head. "I appreciate that."

Vanessa glanced at Nozomi and nodded. "I'll see you again tomorrow."

"Alright, have a safe trip back."

"Say bye bye to Aunty Nozomi." Vanessa told Mike who waved at her.

"Bye bye." Mike grinned.

Nozomi only smiled and waved back. She then turned to Ban and gestured him to follow her. "Your room is this way."

"Thank you." Ban nodded and followed her upstairs. Once he reached his room, he thanked Nozomi again and went inside. It took him a while to settle down and looked out of the window. "I hope that Gouda and Asuka can find Hana. And I also hope that they stay out of trouble." He added the last part with a knowing smile.

* * *

That night, as Vanessa fed Mike, she could not help but feel lonely since neither Mikhail nor Muraku were around. 'But I still have Mike with me.' She reminded herself.

"Whe's daddy an' Un'e Mu'ak'?" Mike asked with a mouth full.

"Mike, I told you that you cannot talk with food in your mouth." Vanessa chided him. "Swallow first."

Mike nodded and began to chew faster. After he swallowed his food, he looked at his mother expectantly. Vanessa let out a sigh and chuckled at him. "Daddy and Uncle Muraku have to go to our new house to set a few things up."

"I don't wanna mov'." Mike pouted.

"I know. I don't want to move as well but the bad guys will come back if we don't." Vanessa explained as she picked him up from his chair and rocked him in her arms. "I want you to be safe and grow up in a world where you don't have to be afraid of the bad guys. But for now, mama and daddy want to protect you and this is the only way we can think of."

"But I lik' it h're and don wanna le've Un'e Ka'et' behind." Mike mumbled.

Vanessa froze at that and shook her head sadly. Kageto had adamantly refused to go with them for he loves his job at the forge and did not want to leave it. She thought for a moment and carefully chose her words. "Some things are out of our control. Kageto really loves it here and he is not afraid of the bad guys. That's why he wants to stay here. Daddy and mama cannot change his mind, neither can Uncle Muraku. But, we understand. It is his life and it is his choices to make. But that does not mean that we will never see him again. We can come back and visit this place again once you are older."

Mike pouted and buried his face into Vanessa's chest. "I don't wanna leave."

"I know." Vanessa patted his back. "I know."

They stayed like this until Vanessa was sure that Mike was asleep and she placed him in his crib. Once he was settled down, she went back to her room and stood in at the window. Her hand drifted to her lower abdomen where a small bump was beginning to form.

"How can I simply tell Mikhail when he doesn't want another child?" Vanessa sighed and pulled out her hairband from her hair, combing her fingers through it while in deep thought.

"No, I cannot hide this from him anymore." She suddenly said determinately. "I must tell him tomorrow when he comes back."

With that in mind, she crawled into the bed, formulating her speech to give to him when she sees him tomorrow.


	19. The mysterious queen of Lambary

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"Just a little more then we will be back." Muraku whispered to Snipper who bobbed its head and pulled a little ahead of Mikhail's horse.

"Sometimes I wonder if it likes Vanessa's food or the stables." Mikhail chuckled.

"I think it would be both." Muraku smiled but then turned grim. "If what we heard at Wecasta was true, then I think we should expect Ban to be at Machila by now. If he had met Vanessa already, then he will be waiting for me."

"But, do you think he would really be willing to leave without you this time?" Mikhail asked with a frown.

"I don't dare to count out that possibility." Muraku shook his head. "But on the other hand, the situation with Bandit is getting too serious. I believe that Bandit intentionally attacked Misora Town to create further tension between Wecasta and the Kaidou Empire. It was the former that saved the town and made it independent of the empire. But although Bandit never intended for anyone to escape their grasp when they took the town, someone must have calculated the possibilities of someone from the town escaping and getting help."

"Then whoever it is must be a fortune teller to do that." Mikhail remarked sarcastically.

"I wouldn't doubt that." Muraku said mildly. "I once read about a queen from a country that disappeared nearly twenty years ago being able to predict the future with 100% accurate results."

"Really?!" Mikhail's eyes became wide in disbelief. "Then what happened to her?"

"I don't know." Muraku shook his head. "The records which I read from did not say anything about what happened to her, but I do remember that she had twins before she disappeared. The entire country was then absorbed by other kingdoms."

"Then do you think this queen has anything to do with the third fraction that is helping Bandit?" Mikhail asked curiously.

"I believe that they queen is the third fraction itself." Muraku nodded. "It must also be her country that Yoshimitsu Kaidou is afraid of."

"But, if the country is absorbed by other kingdoms, then why is he still afraid of her?"

"The real danger is her abilities and not the country itself." Muraku explained. "It is not only her prediction abilities that is dangerous, but I also read that she is also a very powerful martial artist and is capable of many things because of that."

"I find it hard to imagine that." Mikhail shook his head. "But she must be very dangerous for someone like Seredy Kriesler and Yoshimitsu Kaidou to fear."

"She is." Muraku narrowed his eyes as they neared the outskirts of Machila. "We're back."

Mikhail spotted his cottage and managed a smile. "I'm glad to be back. But if Kageto does not want to come with us, then won't he be a target for the empire and Bandit?"

"Don't worry, I got that taken care of." Muraku smirked. "I called on a favor of an old friend of mine whom I met in my travels and convinced her to make sure that no one from the empire or Bandit step foot into Machila."

Mikhail raised an eyebrow and wondered who this friend was but he knew Muraku would not give him a straight answer no matter how much he asked him so he simply trusted that whoever this friend was would protect Kageto when needed.

* * *

"Muraku, Mikhail!" Vanessa greeted them once they returned. "I missed the both of you." She said, hugging Mikhail tightly.

"Vanessa." Mikhail hugged her back. "Where's Mike?"

"He's napping." She chuckled but when she turned to Muraku, her face fell. "Muraku, Ban is back. He sent me a message this afternoon, saying that he will be coming over after dinner to talk to you."

"I see." Muraku sighed. "No use in delaying the inevitable. But did he mention if he came with anyone else?"

"No." Vanessa shook her head. "I actually met him yesterday at Nozomi's place and he came alone."

"Alright." Muraku nodded thoughtfully. "Why don't we have dinner first and worry about this later?"

"Sure." Mikhail nodded and led Vanessa inside.

* * *

After dinner, Muraku turned to Mikhail and whispered, "I'll wait for Ban inside. Unless necessary, don't come outside."

Mikhail nodded and patted his shoulder. "Be careful. Ban may be a good person, but he is smart. Don't let him trap you into agreeing into going back with him."

"Don't worry too much about me." Muraku said with a knowing smile at Vanessa's direction. "I believe you will have a harder time dealing with what Vanessa has to say to you."

Mikhail looked confuse while Vanessa glared at him at that. She began to wonder if Muraku had noticed her condition and was hinting it to Mikhail.

"If you say so." Mikhail said uncertainly as Muraku went out and closed the door behind him. He turned to Vanessa who refused to look at him. "Vanessa…"

"I'm going to put Mike to bed. Then we'll talk." She said curtly and picked up Mike.

Mikhail was confuse at her attitude and actions but he had an idea of what Vanessa wanted to talk about. She had been going on about the idea of another child for a while now. But he didn't want to think about it now what with the move and the empire and all.

When she came out she looked at him straight in the eye. "Please be honest with me. Do you even want another child at all?"

Mikhail stared at her, not feeling very surprise at all. "Um, even though the timing is not right now, but I would like another one if you want when all of this settle down."

Vanessa audibly sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "Are you sure about it? Because if so, then I don't know what to do with this baby in me."

"What!?" Mikhail blanched when the words sank in. "You're pregnant again?"

"Yes." Vanessa nodded and wrapped her arms around him. "So do you want her or not?"

"Who said that it's a girl? I'm betting that Mike will have a brother." Mikhail smirked and twirled her around.

Vanessa laughed and hit his shoulder. "If I remember correctly, I won the bet when Mike was born. A mother's intuition never goes wrong."

"But a father can take the risk and guess." Mikhail chuckled and pulled her into their bedroom. He sobered up when he noticed a horse approaching their cottage from the window. "Ban is here."

Vanessa glanced out the window too and frowned. "I wonder what they are going to talk about."

"I'm sure that Muraku will tell us when he comes back in." Mikhail said reassuringly. But truth to be told, he was wondering if Muraku would tell Ban about the queen like he had told him.

* * *

"You're back." Ban smiled pleasantly at Muraku when the latter came to greet him.

"Vanessa said that you wanted to talk with me." Muraku nodded. "And given the recent events that I heard of Bandit, I know that you want to know more about the third fraction I mentioned the last time you were here."

"Exactly." Ban nodded. "We captured this member of Bandit and she confessed that there was someone behind a majority of Seredy's decisions and I was wondering if it is also the third fraction that Yoshimitsu Kaidou was afraid of."

"Unfortunately, the more I investigate this matter, the more likely it is." Muraku said grimly. "The reason why I didn't mention this last time is because I was not sure of it myself."

"Then if it is so, then Bandit is more dangerous than we originally thought." Ban sighed.

"It is." Muraku nodded. "During the course of my travels, I discovered some interesting information. But I'm not going to tell you anything about it." Muraku said with a smirk.

"And why not?" Ban narrowed his eyes.

"Because I am limited on time right now. But once Mikhail and Vanessa moves, I have all the time in the world to share my findings. We will meet again soon, but at places you do not expect. Good night." Muraku tipped his head and went back inside the house.

Ban frowned as he tried to make sense of his words. "What did he mean by 'places I do not expect'?"

But he shrugged. He trusted Muraku and knew that there must be a reason why he wanted to wait before giving him the information. On the other hand, he needed to be heading back to Wecasta early tomorrow morning so he headed back to the inn to spend another night there.

* * *

Queen Renneton was just about to retire for the night when Takuya and Yuusuke urgently came into the throne room.

"Forgive us for intruding." Yuusuke bowed. "But we have urgent news. We have received a letter from an unknown messenger. Tomorrow, a princess from an unknown country will be visiting on short notice. The messenger also said that this princess has information regarding Yoshimitsu Kaidou which she is willing to share."

"What?" Queen Renneton frowned. "Who is this princess?"

"The messenger refused to tell us but he did say that she is also known as the Psychic of the East Region." Takuya said seriously.

"That's…" The queen gasped. "That's the former title of the queen of the country of Lambary."

"May I ask as to what is this country? I don't believe I heard of it before." Yuusuke frowned.

"Lambary was a prosperous country in the East Region with a successful king as his wife is said to be a fortune teller. It is said that she can predict the future with very accurate results and is a powerful woman." The queen explained with a serious frown. "However, nearly twenty years ago, this king was killed and the country fell with him. There was no news of the queen after that."

"But if this princess is also known as the same title, then wouldn't it mean that she is related with the queen?" Takuya suggested.

"I think so." Queen Renneton nodded. "Yuusuke, cancel all my meetings tomorrow. I wish to see for myself who this princess is."

"As you wish your majesty." Yuusuke bowed and he and Takuya left the throne room.

"Lambary." The queen said to herself. "Junichirou, it seems that you are right. They are coming."

* * *

 **If you read my other stories, then you might be able to notice the hint I left in the story regarding the queen of Lambary's identity.**


	20. The princess of Lambary

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Within the forest of Wecasta, Reika was humming to herself as she drank from the creek beside her hut. She was having a good morning so far. Mama bear had delivered her some meat that she and her cubs could not finish last night so she had roasted meat for dinner and was very satisfied that morning. Also, some of the rabbits had given her some fruits that they found so she had them for breakfast. Little did she know that her day was about to get better.

"I can see that you've grown up a lot since I last saw you."

Reika jumped and spun around with a grin. "Master Yuko! I thought you would be gone for one more year!"

"It has been a year." Yuko chuckled and pulled her apprentice into a hug. She wore a scarlet red cropped top with a gold lace sewn in front of it and gauzy long sleeves. Her skirt was in a similar fashion as her top but with a silver lace sewn at the hem. Her neck and ear were adorn with gold jewelry with ruby stones. Her blond hair was tied into a French braid with silver hair ornaments woven inside and a silver head chain across her head with crystal teardrops dangling from it.

"So what brings you back to the forest, master?" Reika asked curiously when she pulled away.

"The princess whom I serve is visiting Wecasta." Yuko explained but then her smile dropped. "And she wants to meet you at least once and bring you back with her."

"What?" Reika took a step back, feeling stun. "But I never left the forest before. And even if I want to…"

"I know that it is hard to believe it. But hear me out on this one. It may have been my fault since I had mentioned to her about you several times and she wants to meet her fellow apprentice." Yuko said with a sheepish smile. "But, I think it would be good for the both of you. Princess Mia doesn't have any friends her age and you need to become civilized too. You've been living in the forest too long to even create any relationships with humans."

"But master, if I leave, then what will happen to the animals?" Reika whined.

"Reika, the animals have a natural way of surviving which you cannot see because you are trying too hard to protect them." Yuko said gently.

"But…"

"I also know that you are scared to leave because of the order you were left with when you were little." Yuko continued and placed a hand on her shoulder. "But I know that you will learn more from the world outside the forest if you come with me. I don't want you to stay cooped up in here for the rest of your life and miss out on the important lessons that I cannot teach you here."

"Well, I understand that. But still, must I really go with you?"

"Yes." Yuko nodded firmly. "I also brought along a change of clothes just in case you agree to come. You can't come before the princess in that raged cloak now, can you?"

"You won't leave me alone until I agree, right?" Reika sulked.

"Maybe." Yuko shrugged. "But you can't deny it that you want to see the world outside."

Reika stared out at the forest and then at the direction where Wecasta was. She thought about it for a moment and realized that she was indeed curious to know more about Wecasta and the world around it. Also, she may have a chance to see Takeru again if she ventured out. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. I'll go with you. But before I see the princess, I want to find a new friend of mine whom I met a few weeks ago in the town."

Yuko looked surprise but beamed and nodded. "Sure. Now, we have to do a huge makeover first before we leave so that you don't look like a nomad anymore."

* * *

Queen Renneton sat up straighter in her throne when Yuusuke came in, announcing the arrival of the mysterious princess. She wished that Ban or even Arata was here but she figured that she better keep quiet about this first until they find out more about this princess.

The room fell silent as a young lady stepped into the throne room and whispers broke out for while her lower face was hidden by a purple cloth, her purple-yellow eyes were very similar to a certain runaway prince from the Kaidou Empire. She wore a similar outfit to Yuko's but hers was white and the sleeves were made of silk and not of gauzy material. Her top was also layered while her skirt had purple lace sewn at the hem. There was a gold chain around her neck with an amethyst stone in the middle of it and dangling silver earrings with white stones. Her black hair had blue streaks in it and part of it was tied into a bun close to the top of her head and a gold tiara inserted in front of it. A gold head chain was wrapped around her head with amethyst stones dangling on the sides of her head.

"So you are the princess who asked for an audience with me?" Queen Renneton asked.

The princess kneeled before her and nodded. "Yes, but if I may, I am only a princess because of my royal blood. It is not my official title I'm afraid as my mother was no longer the queen of her country."

"And this country, would it happen to be Lambary?" The queen asked with narrowed eyes.

"You are as wise as the rumors go." The princess said with a twinkle in her eyes. "Yes, indeed. My mother was once the queen of Lambary, and also known as the Psychic of the East due to her perception abilities, something that I had inherited."

The queen observed her for a moment and asked, "What is your name?"

"Princess Mia Houjou of the East." Mia said, tipping her head.

"Well Mia, what is this information regarding Yoshimitsu Kaidou that you wish to share with me?"

"Have you heard about the Jade crown before?" Mia asked as she stood up, looking around at the whole court that went silent. "My father, the slain king of Lambary, originally carved the crown out of a block of jade to present it to my mother. Unfortunately, when he was murdered, his assailant took the crown with him and ran away all the way to the formerly glorious kingdom of Aradia."

The queen was silent for a moment and finally she spoke, "And this assailant, is he Yoshimitsu Kaidou?"

"Indeed." Mia nodded. "My country was devastated that my father had fallen just before I was born. There was a legend in the land that if the king is slain before his children is born, the entire country will disappear. And that was what exactly happened. My mother had brought some of our people to a hiding place and governed them throughout the years. However, she foresaw that it is time to come out of hiding and revive our country. But to do that, she needs the Jade crown."

"So you came all the way here not only to tell me that Yoshimitsu Kaidou had a history in your country, but to ask for my help." Queen Renneton frowned.

"I never said that." Mia said slightly smugly. "I did not come here to only tell you a story of that murderer's past in my country. In fact, that is only half of what I have to say. After he ran to Aradia, he used the Jade Crown to gain his position in the court before betraying it. He was afraid that my mother would take revenge against him but he doesn't know which kingdom she is hiding in. That is why he went on his conquering spree."

Takuya and his brother exchanged shocked looks with the queen. If what she was saying is true, then this queen may as well be the third fraction that they were looking for and possibly the one who was behind almost all of Bandit's heinous crimes.

"So you are admitting to be part of Bandit!?" The captain of guard yelled.

"Bandit? What is that?" Mia asked, with a look of genuine confusion spread across her face.

"Don't lie! Guards!" The captain of guard yelled, despite Takuya's gestures to stand down. The guards began to swarm the court and pointed their weapons at her.

Mia narrowed her eyes in annoyance and turned to the queen. "Your highness, would you stand for such outrage? I honestly have no idea of what this 'Bandit' is!"

"No, I won't. Stand down captain." Queen Renneton said in a quiet, authoritative voice.

"But your highness…"

"Now captain!" The queen said a little more forcefully this time.

"…Yes your highness." He raised his hands and the guards withdrew their weapons.

"I apologize for that just now." The queen said as she stood up from her throne. "But I would like to ask you something. What is your true reason for visiting Wecasta?"

"I refuse to say it. Not after what happened just now." Mia huffed. "It is clear that you do not trust me so there is no point in me staying here. Good day, your highness." She bowed and was about to head for the door when the queen called her back.

"Before you go, there is one more thing I would like to ask. Do you know Muraku Kaidou?"

Mia spun back around with a similar confuse frown as just now. "I never heard nor have I met anyone by that name."

"I see. Thank you." Queen Renneton nodded.

Mia tipped her head and left the throne room.

"Your highness, are you going to let her leave just like that?" The captain of guard scowled.

"Yes. I sense no deceit or dishonesty in her." Queen Renneton then turned to him with a frown. "And I do not appreciate that you try to attack visiting dignitaries. What will people say if they find out? That Wecasta is becoming hostile like the Kaidou Empire?"

"Please forgive me, your highness." The captain of guard bowed. "I can assure you that it will never happen again. I just…"

"I understand. But please don't do that again. If I need it, I will ask you to call the guards." The queen waved her hand dismissively at him and the guards. They bowed and left the throne room.

"What do you think about the princess?" Takuya asked her once they were alone.

"I believe that she honestly has no connections to Bandit. But for Muraku Kaidou, it is a mystery. She looks nearly like him but she said that she never met him before." The queen frowned.

"I think it has something to do with her mother, the former queen of Lambary." Yuusuke said thoughtfully. "Maybe she is indeed related to him but does not know."

"Whatever the reasons, I don't believe that she is a bad person. It may be because of our own initial perception on her that clouded our judgement. I know that deep down inside, she has a good heart." The queen said with a small smile.

* * *

As Mia made her way to the inn that she was staying at, people were staring at her. But she didn't really mind it since it was rare that Wecasta got visitors for the east. But she was annoyed at the fact that some of the young men were staring at her with lustful eyes.

'Do people here always lust after foreign ladies?' She thought in disgust. As she got closer to the inn, Yuko came out and greeted her.

"I take it that it did not go well?" She asked quietly while bowing slightly.

"You can say that again Master Yuko." Mia sighed as she stepped inside the inn with her behind her. "It's just like what mother said. They would not trust me."

"If she knew that they wouldn't then why did she still send you here?" Yuko asked with a frown.

"I trust what she wants." Mia said with a small smile. "If she wants me to come here and meet the queen, then so be it. If she wants me to meet Yoshimitsu Kaidou, then I am willing to do it."

"But Mia, I'm worried about what will happen if you go down to the Kaidou court tomorrow." Yuko said in a low voice as she and Mia entered the room that they were staying in.

"I am not afraid of him." Mia said with a smirk. "You and mother had taught me well. I can take care of myself. Also, I want to see the look on his face when I tell him that I am the daughter of the very king whom he killed."

"If you are insistent on it, then I cannot do anything to change your mind. But can I ask that Reika go with you tomorrow? I would feel much better if she is with you."

"By the way, where is she?" Mia asked curiously.

"She wanted to meet someone in the town. I don't know who though." Yuko shook her head and sat down on one of the beds.

"I'm curious though. How did you get to meet her?" Mia tilted her head.

"This…" Yuko looked away with a frown. 'No, the queen told me that I must not tell her about it just yet. I'm sorry but I just have to lie to you, Mia.'

She cleared her throat and spoke, "I met her when I came here a few years ago on an assignment for the queen. Ever since then, I would come back here every once in a while to check on her. But she is a nice girl. In fact, just like you, she has some unique abilities with her flute."

"How so?"

"She can sooth the feelings of animals with it." Yuko cocked her head as she tried to remember what else Reika can do with her flute. "Oh, and she can render plants to grow faster with certain melodies."

"Wow." Mia said in awe. "I want to meet her soon. When will she be back?"

"I don't really know myself." Yuko sighed. Secretly, she was wondering what was taking Reika so long.

* * *

 **Well, with all the hints I left in this chapter, surely you would guess what the queen of Lambary is to Muraku. Also, Reika's flute will play an important part in this story so don't simply dismiss it.**


	21. Out of my comfort zone

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **To guest: This is a normal world but I want to add a little bit of medieval fantasy in it. Also, Reika's flute is not magical, the melodies that she plays are the key, not the flute.**

 **The Lambary's culture is rather similar to the ancient Chinese. So I'm going to use some of the elements from there. I got the idea of their clothing and hairstyle from there too.**

* * *

It had taken her a while, but Reika finally managed to locate the forge. Given that she knew nothing about him other than his name, she had to ask around for him but given that she was socially awkward with normal people, it took her a while before someone finally told her where Takeru is and how to find the forge.

As she raised her hand to knock on the door, she paused and glanced down at her outfit, wondering if she was a little overdressed. Yuko had insisted that she wore the traditional outfit of her people and therefore gave her a long dark blue dress up to her ankles and long sleeves of a lighter color. There were aquamarine swirls all over the sleeves and top while there were sky blue swirls on the skirt with the image of ocean waves. Yuko had also insisted that she styled her hair and wore jewelry. As such, part of her auburn hair was tied into four small buns at the back of her head and decorated with small sequins and a green ribbon which ran along the back of her head. She was also wearing a necklace with a sapphire in it and hoop earrings.

As she raised her hand to attempt to knock again, the door opened and Takeru was about to step outside. Both of them paused in their actions and stared at each other for a moment before remembering what they were doing.

"Um, hi." Reika spoke first.

"Hi." Takeru greeted her back and closed the door of the forge behind him. "I didn't expect to see you again this soon, much less out of the forest."

"Well, certain circumstances led to that…" Reika trailed off awkwardly. "So, were you going somewhere?"

"Not really." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "My friend kicked me out to take a break since I have been working hard for the past few days without a proper break."

"I see." Reika giggled. "Then what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know. Probably walk around town." He shrugged. "Do you want to come along too?"

"Sure." Reika nodded eagerly. "I always wanted to have a look at it."

As they walked around town, Takeru found himself needing to explain a lot of things to her since she never heard of or seen them before.

"So Reika, what do you think about it?" Takeru asked her as they walked back to the inn Yuko had told her that she was staying beforehand.

"It's nice. I never ventured out of the forest before and I'm glad that I did. There is only so much that I can see from the cliffs." Reika grinned.

"If you don't mind me asking, what made you come out of the forest today when you said that you were told not to leave?" Takeru asked the question that has been on his mind.

"Well, you see." Reika shifted on her feet. "My teacher, the one who taught me to survive in the forest, convinced me to go with her. She wants to bring me back to her home country so I don't know when I will return again. So I wanted to see you again before I leave since you are the first human friend I had in a while."

"I see. So, she was the one who gave you the dress?" Takeru asked with an amused smile.

"You can say that again." Reika sighed and lifted up the skirt a little. "I'm not used to wearing anything like this and yet, my teacher forced me to wear it and all of the jewelry."

"I think it suits you." Takeru said sincerely.

"Thanks." Reika ducked her head and paused in her steps. "Thanks for showing me around town. I really enjoyed it. And I don't know if I'll see you again so, good bye for now."

"You're welcome." Takeru rubbed the back of his head. "But don't say it like we're not going to see each other again. Who knows? We might see each other again in the future."

"Of course." Reika nodded with a grin and went ahead into the inn. Takeru watched her go in and turned around to head back to the forge. But as he passed by the palace, one of the guards stopped him to ask a favor.

"Say, do you mind passing a message to your leader when you get back? Please tell him that we had some visitors from outside which caused an uproar earlier in the throne room. Please tell him it is from Advisor Yuusuke."

Takeru looked surprise at that but nodded. "Sure. I'll tell him later."

"Thanks." The guard nodded and went back to his post. Takeru ran the guard's words in his mind for a while and frowned. What visitor from outside would cause an uproar in the palace like the guard said?

* * *

"You're back." Yuko greeted her when she found the room that she was staying at.

"Yeah. Sorry I took so long." Reika tilted her head at the young lady her age at the other side of the room. She narrowed her eyes slightly when she noticed how similar she looks to another friend of hers that she met a while ago. Yuko noticed this and pulled her in front of her.

"Mia, this is the other apprentice I was talking about. Reika, this is Mia. She is the princess of the country I serve and my second apprentice after you."

"Hi." Reika waved with a smile.

Yuko nearly slapped her forehead and secretly pushed Reika down from the upper back so that it looks like she is bowing and hissed into her ear. "When facing royalty, the first thing you do is bow to show respect."

Reika winced at that but luckily, Mia seemed to let it slid and smiled back. "It's nice to meet you. And Master Yuko, please go easy on her. I understand that she is not familiar with our customs so why don't you take the remaining of the day to teach her some of it so that she can be presentable before my mother."

"Of course princess." Yuko bowed.

"Also, please tell her of what to expect tomorrow since you insist that she comes with me." Mia continued as she headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Yuko frowned.

"I'm going to take a walk in town for a moment." Mia cocked her head back at her mentor. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No, please be careful then." Yuko lowered her head. Once the door closed behind her, Yuko sighed. "That girl…what am I going to do with her?"

"Is she always like this?" Reika asked curiously.

"I'm afraid so." Yuko shook her head. "But don't take it to heart. She may be aloof but that's because, like I said before, she barely has any friends around her age. In fact, I'm glad that she's try to be friendly to you."

"Oh." Reika looked around the room and went over to the window. "So what was she talking about just now about tomorrow?"

"Oh, that." Yuko sighed and sat down on her bed. "It's a long story here. But to put it simple, she wants to go down to the Kaidou Empire's capital, Aradia, to visit the king. But the problem is, this king's grandfather is the one who killed her father. So I am not too keen of her going there. Therefore, I requested that at the very least she brought you along since you can help her get away easily if necessary."

"You mean play that melody that brings me to the forest?" Reika said in surprise as she took out her flute from her pouch.

"Exactly." Yuko nodded.

"Alright then." Reika nodded. "I don't know much about the king or what he did to Mia's father, but if it keeps her safe, then I'm willing to do it."

"And one more thing." Yuko said quietly as she stood up and placed a hand on her apprentice's shoulder. "When outside, you must call Mia by her title, princess. But if she tells you otherwise, you can call her by name when no one is around."

"Alright." Reika said reluctantly. Yuko smiled and began to teach Reika the customs that she should know before they headed back.

* * *

As Mia walked down the streets of the town, she wished that she had the forethought of changing out of her clothes into the ones that the people here normally wore since she was getting more stares and there were whispers about how she had created an uproar at the palace earlier that day and was getting black stares as a result.

'And I did not do anything at all.' She grumbled inwardly but maintained a straight face on the outside. 'It was that dumbass's fault after all. All I was doing was telling them what mother wanted me to tell the queen and he suddenly calls for all the guards to attack me.'

She quietly sighed and went into the narrow alley beside her and was satisfied when she saw that no one was around. Turns out, she spoke too soon.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A man spoke as he and his friends stepped in front of her while another one blocked the path behind her.

"A foreign girl who doesn't look bad." The one behind Ma crackled with laughter. "I bet she'll give us a lot of fun tonight."

Mia glared at them harshly and her hands fell to her sides as the men began to close on her. But the sound of someone clearing his throat and the men halted in their tracks to glare at whoever who was there.

"I would like it if you left her alone." Haruki spoke quietly.

"And why should we do that?" The leader mocked as he cracked his knuckles.

"You can either beat me up or answer to the queen." Haruki said casually and held up the silver medallion that the queen had given to him, Hikaru and Arata so that they can help keep peace in the town when her own guards couldn't. The men seem to recognize the medallion and mumbled something as they ran away.

Mia glared at him and then at the direction where the men ran off. She spun on her heel and was going to leave when Haruki called her.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Mia nearly let out an exasperated sigh and spun back around. "Down here. Why?"

"That's where those men ran off to. If you go down there, you will get cornered again." Haruki said with a frown.

"So?" Mia tossed her hair back. "I can take care of myself. Don't underestimate me just because I'm a girl."

"I know that. But I'm saying it more for the men's sake than yours. I know that you are hiding something in your skirt. Although I don't know what it is, I know that it is lethal."

Mia's lips turned up into a thin smile but her eyes became predatory. Her left hand fell back to her side and gripped on something. "So what of it?"

"It is my job to keep peace here at Wecasta. If what you intend to do what I think you are going to do to the men if you see them again, then it is my duty to stop you." Haruki patiently explained. Her moments did not miss his gaze so his hand rested on the hilt of his sword in case he needed to use it.

Mia glared at him for a moment and suddenly flicked her wrist. As she did so, a short blade flew out of the hidden pouch sewn into her skirt and she grabbed it, pointing it at him. Haruki immediately reacted by pulling out his sword and pointed it at her. Neither of them moved nor did they break eye contact.

But suddenly, Mia burst out laughing which surprised Haurki. She flicked her wrist again and the blade flew back into the pouch in her skirt. Haruki's face screwed up in confusion as he lowered his sword. Seeing this, Mia chuckled. "You've just proven to me that people from Wecasta do have some honor and value. So, I won't stay around to fight you. By the way, I am not going to kill them if I see those men again if that's what you thought. But I would not let them go without a bruised face or so."

Haruki did not know what to say about this but he frowned, wondering who in the world she was and from what he observed, she seems to be a capable fighter to be able to use her blade like she did despite her frail appearance. But she seems sincere enough so he returned his sword to his sheath and turned to go. "If you really want to do so, then I'm not going to stop you. But please think twice about your actions. I wouldn't want your country to get a black mark because of this incident."

Mia shot him a frosty glare and for a split second, Haruki could have sworn that there was fire in her eyes. She took a step towards him and her hand fell back to her side. Now, Haruki could see clearly that the hilt of the blade was actually cleverly disguised among the patterns of her skirt which is why he never noticed it.

"Why would I care about giving my country a bad name when it no longer exist?" She hissed and stormed away before she could do something she regretted. Haruki watched her go curiously and thought of something.

"Could she be the princess that caused a scene at the palace today?" He asked himself. But inwardly he knew the answer. "But if so, the this princess is no ordinary one." He mused to himself. "It is clear that she is capable of using short blades, a weapon which is commonly used in the east but only by highly trained people in martial artist."

He narrowed his eyes at that thought. "I think Arata and Kazu should know about this. I better go back and tell them now."


	22. A trip to the Kaidou Palace

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"What?! A foreign princess showed up at Wecasta's court today?" Kazu exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yeah." Takeru nodded tiredly after he relayed the message. "I was told that she created an uproar but for what reason, I don't know."

"Well, there's nothing much we can do about it until Queen Renneton gives us more details about it if she wants to." Arata pointed out with a shrug.

"But why in the world would some country send a princess over only to cause an uproar?" Ami frowned. "This is the first time it happened despite the number of visiting dignitaries."

"I'm back." Haruki called as he walked into the house.

"Haruki." Arata greeted him with a grin. "Did anything happen today at town?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Haruki sat down and launched a brief explanation of his encounter with the princess. By the time he was done, he was met with silence.

"Haruki, did she mention anything at all related to her country?" Ami asked, tilting her head.

"I don't think…wait, I think she said that her country no longer exist anymore." Haruki said thoughtfully.

"Really?" Kazu and Arata sat up straight.

"Yes." Haruki nodded. "It doesn't look like she wanted to talk about it though. But from what I gathered, she might be a very strong fighter since she is capable of using short blades."

"Should we get more information about her from the queen?" Ami asked Arata.

"It depends if it is absolutely necessary."

"By the way, there is one more thing about her." Haruki said quietly. "She has the same eyes as Muraku Kaidou."

There was a stun silence as everyone stared at Haruki as though he had grown two heads. Finally, Arata spoke, "The same eyes as Muraku Kaidou? Then did you see her face clearly?"

"No, it was covered by a cloth. I could only see her eyes but I am certain that it is Muraku Kaidou's eyes that I was seeing." Haruki closed his eyes.

"Then this definitely calls for more information gathering from the queen." Arata sighed.

* * *

The next morning, Mia and Reika woke up early and headed down to the forest.

"So how are we going to get to the Kaidou Empire by this afternoon when it takes days to get there from here on foot?" Reika asked her.

"I thought you never been out of this forest before. How do you know that it takes days?" Mia asked curiously.

"Well, you can get nosy at times when travelers come around." Reika grinned sheepishly. "Also, I have been to other forests in various areas without needing to step out of this forest."

Mia halted in her tracks and gave her an incredulous look. "How is that possible?"

"Oh, with this." Reika took out her flute for her to see. "If I play certain melodies, the forest will react and bring me to various areas. It also helps me if I really want to go somewhere urgently."

"That could be helpful." Mia mused. "To be honest, I have thought it through on how to get there in time. But could you get us there from here?"

"Yup." Reika nodded. "I've been to the Kaidou Empire's forests several times. But we are going to have to find our way to the palace on our own once we get there."

"I have not problems with that." Mia shrugged. "We'll think of something as we go."

"Alright then. Please hold on to my shoulder and don't let go. And whatever you do, close your eyes tightly and don't open them until I say so." Reika instructed her as she brought up the flute to her mouth.

Once Mia did as she was told, Reika began playing a four note melody that sounded very soulful to the princess. Around them, the trees began spinning around them but Reika did not look up. Instead, she lowered her head and focused her eyes on her flute as she played faster. The trees spun faster in synch with the melody. As the last note died off, the trees stopped spinning and Reika looked up. She patted Mia's hand. "We're here. You can open your eyes now."

Mia blinked and looked around. The forest was certainly different now as there were pines in Wecasta's forest but over here, there were normal bark and oak trees. The air down here was also thicker and it was a nice change for Mia.

"Come on." Reika gestured for her to follow her as she went over to a path. "I think this leads us out of here. We can ask around for directions when we reach a town."

"That might be easy said than done." Mia grunted but paused when she spotted a rider dressed in armor and had the Empire's embalm on the arm guards riding towards their direction on the path. "I think I found someone who can help us." She grinned. Both ladies ran over and halted in front of the rider's horse.

"Hey!" The rider exclaimed as he pulled his horse to a stop and scowled at them. "Clear off! Don't you know that I am a soldier of the Empire!?"

"We'll clear off once you tell us how to get to the Kaidou palace." Mia said coyly.

"And why would I do that?" The soldier demanded gruffly. "You are clearly foreigners. I cannot simply lead you to the palace! You could be plotting something against our king. Now clear off!" The rider snapped the reins and the horse went around them and kicked the dust behind it as it ran off.

"Do you want to take the honors of the first hit or I will?" Reika asked with a glare at the rider's direction.

Mia smirked and gestured for her to go ahead. "I'll rather take pleasure in threatening him to bring us to the palace."

* * *

The rider did not see it coming. One moment he was riding with glee at being rude to two foreign ladies, the next moment he knew was flying off his horse when a palm slammed against his back.

Reika landed with a grin after jumping to deliver that blow. She went over to the rider and picked him up by the scruff of his armor. "Now are you willing to take us to the palace?"

"Never!"

Reika sighed and shook her head. She glanced at Mia who was coming over with a nod and released him in front of her.

"Well, since you are disrespectful to a princess from a faraway land, you have to listen to what we say and obey us." Mia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Starting with bringing us to the palace."

"And why should I do that?" The soldier spat.

Mia narrowed her eyes dangerously at him and slammed her palm directly where his heart was with a surprising amount of force for a frail-like lady like her. The soldier fell back in shock and pain, coughing out blood.

"I suggest that you do as we say or will we not be held responsible for what happens next." Mia said coldly and held up her palm. "If I hit you again at the same spot with the same amount of force, you'll die."

As she raised her palm to strike again, the soldier squeaked, "Wait! I'll take you to the palace! Just don't kill me!"

Mia and Reika grinned triumphantly and high-fived. Mia then tapped two fingers on the soldier's chest and the opposite shoulder blade. Instantly, the pain in his chest subsided. The soldier ran his hand over his chest anxiously and turned to Mia. "What did you do?"

"I temporary stopped the pain." Mia smirked. "But it will only last until you bring us to the palace. You will have to seek medical help after that. Clear?"

The soldier whimpered as he nodded and began bringing the two terrifying ladies to the palace. He could only hope that they won't force him to go in as well or the king will know who brought them there and he will have his head.

* * *

Jin was not having a good day. The process of setting up the patrols was taking longer than he anticipated and his grandfather was not helping with the process at all.

"Grandfather, it is important that we have the patrols set up by this week or there will be no telling of what Bandit would do the next time to Yuno if we simply let them do whatever they want." Jin tried to argue for the hundredth time that morning.

"Absolutely not!" Yoshimitsu Kaidou fired back. "Those soldiers are precious resources that we need if we want to take Wecasta in the next round! We cannot afford to have our soldiers running around, carrying out pointless patrols all over the kingdom!"

"But if we don't, then someone might get killed. Yuno barely avoided death when she was travelling to Odela just less than a week ago!" Jin protested.

At the corner of the throne room, Seredy watched them with interest and mild amusement. But when Jin mentioned the attempt on Yuno's life, he frowned. He was sure that it was not one of his men, that's for sure. He had not received any orders to do that from Bandit's true leader and none of his men ventured out of their hideout that day, something he was certain of. So he was wondering if this attempt was actually a plan by Yoshimitsu Kaidou since Yuno had an opposite influence on Jin compare to the former king's. Despite his grudge against her for defending Hana, he secretly respected her for the kindness and willingness to look after her people even though Jin and his grandfather disapproved of it most of the time.

Suddenly, one of the guards burst into the throne room. Seredy observed that he was nervous about something and his nose was broken nose from the looks of it.

'What could have happened?' His frown deepened.

"What?!" Jin snapped at the guard, annoyed at being interrupted and took no notice of the guard's state.

"Your highness, we have an emergency!" The guard stammered. "There are these two foreign ladies demanding to have an audience with you and until you agree, they will not stop defeating us guards until they reach the throne room!"

"They're ladies, you men can take care of that." Yoshimitsu Kaidou said dismissively.

"But your highness, these ladies are not ordinary ladies." The guard protested. "They are cutting down our defenses as though it was nothing with their bare hands!"

"How can hundreds of men like you lose to two ladies!?" Jin demanded.

As an answer, the door slammed open and both Mia and Reika entered.

"My apologies, your highness." Mia said smoothly. Jin narrowed his eyes at her when he saw her eyes. They were the same as Muraku's!

'How is it that she has the same eyes as Muraku's?' Jin thought in confusion as he mind spun but he shook his head to clear them out and glared at her. "May I ask as to what is the meaning of this intrusion?"

"I merely wanted to have a simple private audience with you and your grandfather." Mia smirked beneath the veil that was covering her face. "But those guards…I cannot imagine why do they want to arrest me on sight and as such, I was forced to act and set my demands."

Jin exchanged wary glances with his grandfather and turned back to her. "…Given that it is my guards' fault for making a mistake to our…visitors, I'll agree to your request. Everybody, out!"

The advisors and guards were surprise by this command but quietly obeyed, least they were found guilty for disobeying the king's orders. Mia turned to Reika and waved her hand. Reika nodded and went out also.

Once they were alone, Mia turned to Jin with a small smile. "Shall we start?"

"But of course." Jin said frostily. "Firstly, who are you?"

Mia gave a small bow and smirked gleefully. 'This is it father, this will be the start of avenging your death. Yoshimitsu Kaidou, I wonder how he will react once he knows that I am your daughter.'

As she straightened up, she gave them a pleasant smile. "My name is Mia Houjou of the East." She declared in a loud clear voice. "The princess of the fallen kingdom of Lambary!"

As she expected, Yoshimitsu Kaidou turned very pale and stumbled backwards. Jin rushed forward to steady him and shook his worriedly, "Grandfather, what's wrong?"

Yoshimitsu Kaidou could not reply him but stared at Mia in horror. "No, it can't be!" He gasped.


	23. A nasty surprise

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

The throne room has never been this quiet before as Mia smiled smugly as a look of confusion spread over Jin's face.

"Grandfather, what are you talking about?" Jin shook him. But the old man could not answer him as his breath became ragged. Jin turned to Mia and demanded, "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing. I merely said my name and he became like this. It has nothing to do with me." Mia smirked. "However, I do believe that my surname scared him. Especially since my father is among the list of kings whom he personally murdered."

Jin's eyes became wide and slowly turned to his grandfather. "Is it true?"

Yoshimitsu Kaidou turned to Jin with a disbelieving look and then at Mia. "Where is your mother hiding!?"

"That is something you have to find out yourself." Mia smirked. "Do you honestly think I would easily betray my mother's location to you? You are the one who killed my father which cause my entire kingdom to fall."

"What do you want?" Jin gritted his teeth.

"Simple, I want the Jade Crown which Yoshimitsu Kaidou stole from my father. If he willingly returns it, my mother will leave him alone forever. However if he doesn't, then don't blame us for taking drastic measures." Mia said with a serious look.

"Get out!" Yoshimitsu Kaidou yelled. "I will never give it to anyone! Guards!"

The doors slammed open and guards began to pour into the throne room. From the entrance, Reika frowned as she watched them surround her friend. But Mia caught her eye and gave her a reassuring smile. She eyed the guards and flexed her arm in an arch in a sudden movement and the guards were sent flying back by the shockwave.

"What?" Jin gasped.

"That was a pleasant talk. I will see you again. And I won't be courteous the next time we meet, Yoshimitsu Kaidou." Mia said with a pleasant smile which covered the sarcasm in her voice. "My mother will take back the Jade Crown and have her revenge on you. I can assure you that."

Jin tensed as she and Reika left. His eyes did not leave the entrance of the throne room until one of the guards told him that they had left the palace. He shifted his attention to his grandfather and shook him gently. "Grandfather, are you alright?"

But Yoshimitsu Kaidou did not answer and clutched his chest tightly. Jin frowned and called for the servants to bring him back to his room and have a doctor have a look at him. Once he was alone again in the throne room, he glanced out the window.

'Just who is she?' He wondered. 'She looked a lot like Muraku and she said that her father was killed by grandfather, just like Ban and Arata. Was Muraku right to leave this place?'

But the more questions he asked himself, the more he began to think that Muraku was right all along.

* * *

"How did it go?" Reika asked once they reached the forest.

"Better than I expected." Mia shrugged but her face became crestfallen. "But I'm going to have to tell my mother that Yoshimitsu Kaidou refuses to return the Jade Crown."

"What is this Jade Crown?" Reika asked curiously.

"It is a crown that my father carved out of jade for my mother before he died." Mia said wistfully. "I never saw it but whenever my mother talks about it, she will become sad."

"Why?"

"Because the Jade Crown was supposed to be the symbol of my father's love to her." Mia said with a sad smile. "But Yoshimitsu wanted it and used it to manipulate a lot of people to his own cause."

"I don't get it. How can the crown do that?" Reika frowned.

"The crown was originally carved out of a special block of jade. I heard that this jade enables the user to manipulate the hearts of men." Mia said thoughtfully. "Anyway, enough about that, can you take us back to Wecasta now?"

"Of course." Reika took out her flute and Mia repeated the procedure used when coming here. This time, Reika played the four note melody backwards instead. The forest began to spin around them again and eventually, it halted.

"Well, that was fast." Mia muttered under her breath.

"I usually can come back faster if I'm returning to the same place as I left." Reika explained as she trudged through the woods. "We better head back before Master Yuko thinks that something happened."

"I agree, but I cannot deny that I had a lot of fun today." Mia grinned.

* * *

Over at Odela, Yuno was blissfully unaware of the commotion back at the Empire palace and was happily having tea with her parents.

"So dear, how did you meet Hana? She's such a polite servant even if she cannot speak." Her mother remarked.

Yuno froze as she did not know how to answer this question but thankfully, her father unknowingly saved her from answering it. "Honey, I don't think it is a good story to tell from what Yuno told me when I asked her."

"Oh, then in that case, maybe I won't push it." Her mother shrugged and Yuno quietly sighed in relief. "On another note, how is Jin? Is he treating you well?"

"Mother, you don't have to worry about him mistreating me." Yuno said with a smile. "He is a good person at heart despite his misgivings. In fact, he wholeheartedly agreed to let me take Hana in as my servant." She lied.

"I'm glad to hear that. But have you considered about what I told you about having an heir soon?" Her father unexpectedly asked her.

Yuno sighed as she placed her cup on the table. "Father, we talked about this before. I'm not ready to have a child. Also, I don't think we can consider it now as the tension between the Empire and Wecasta. Not to mention, Bandit's activities are growing. So I don't think this is the right time for even thinking of an heir."

"I think she is right, dear." Her mother spoke up quietly. "I think it will be dangerous to have a child now so do try to be patient."

"Fine." Her father sighed.

However, after tea, Yuno's mother pulled Yuno aside and gave her a look. "Care to tell me who exactly Hana is? I know that you were lying just now."

Yuno looked away sheepishly as she remembered that there is no way she can easily hide anything from her so she began to explain everything as plainly as possible while leaving out the fact that Hana and Jin were actually lovers before.

Once she was done, her mother nodded in understanding. "I see. But do you think that Seredy's intention of making her a slave is pure?"

"We don't think so." Yuno shook her head. "But I'll try my best to keep her safe."

"Well, do be careful." Her mother sighed. "But how are things progressing with Jin?"

"We're still friends if that's what you are asking." Yuno smiled ruefully.

Her mother made a tsking sound while shaking her head. "You have been married to him for three years already and you are still in this stage."

"Mother, Jin and I never wanted this marriage. The most we can be is friends if we want to continue to coexist in the palace." Yuno sighed.

"Well, it has always been my dream for my daughter to fall in love and get married, and have children in the future. But only one of those things has been fulfilled." Her mother pulled her into a hug.

"Don't worry mother." Yuno forced a smile. "Things will work out somehow."

Unaware to the both of them, Hana was watching them and she heard every word. Jealousy surged her heart as she thought back on her unhappy childhood and the person she was forced to become in order to prevent Seredy from killing her. It also hurts for her to think of the person that Jin became just to please his grandfather.

'Life is just not fair.' She silently thought to herself. 'The only part of my life that I love is being part of Aidara…maybe I should have just taken up Asuka's offer and went back to them. But why must I be so kind to Yuno…oh, right. She did help me out a lot and it would be bad to repay kindness with ungratefulness. I really shouldn't be jealous of her. She's hurting just as much as I am for her marriage to Jin.'

"Bad news!" A messenger yelled as he ran down to corridor over to Yuno and her mother. Hana gasped and quickly ducked behind the curtains before the messenger could see her.

"What is it?" She heard Yuno's mother ask the messenger.

"Queen Yuno, the king has called you back to the Kaidou palace." The messenger said quickly. "There were visitors from a foreign country this morning and whatever they did made the former king collapse. King Jin would like you to return to help him manage the affairs at the palace while he investigates this matter."

Yuno and her mother exchanged surprised looks but nodded. Yuno turned back to the messenger and nodded. "I understand. I will head back first thing tomorrow."

"Thank you. If you would excuse me." The messenger bowed and left

Yuno sighed and turned to her mother. "I'm sorry, but I have to cut my visit short and go back tomorrow."

"Don't worry, I understand." Her mother nodded. "But I wonder though, who are the foreign visitors that the messenger talked about and what did they do to make Yoshimitsu Kaidou collapse."

"I probably find out tomorrow." Yuno narrowed her eyes and they walked off. Once she was sure that they were gone, Hana came out of her hiding spot with a frown.

'Foreign visitors? That reminds me a lot of what Seredy said before. He often mentioned to Itan Kyouji that their master was communicating with them from a faraway land. Could it be that the foreigners are from the same land as Seredy's master?' Hana narrowed her eyes as she went back to her room. 'Whatever the reason, I need to find a way to tell Ban about this but how? Also, if Jin finds out about this, he'll definitely be angry.'

She sighed as she sat down on her bed once she reached her room. 'I can only hope that by chance, I can pass this on to him.'


	24. Chapter 24

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **This chapter is strictly T rated, don't say that I didn't warn you!**

* * *

As soon as he could, Seredy returned to his house and took out the spear that was used in the attempt to kill Yuno from its hiding place. Jin had shown it to him to see if Bandit was behind this which he flatly denied. But of course, Jin did not believe him and gave it to him.

'While it did have Bandit's name carved on it, I'm sure that it is not ours since we are not silly enough to do that. Whoever who did this intended to make sure that Bandit got the blame.' Seredy mused as he turned it in his hands. He paused and turned around to find Itan Kyouji leaning casually on the wall. "About time you arrived."

"Well, I got here as soon as I could." Itan shrugged and pushed himself off the wall. His face became serious as he spoke, "I did as you asked and there was indeed no one who left the base on the day the attempt on Queen Yuno's life was made. All were accounted and present for."

"I know." Seredy said as he put down the spear on the table. "But if someone wants to frame us, the only one I can think of is Yoshimitsu Kaidou."

"But who cares if we are framed for something we didn't do?" Itan smirked. "It doesn't matter if the queen is dead or alive."

"Maybe, but if the master hears about this, wouldn't he think that we are moving without his orders again?" Seredy pointed out.

"Capturing Hana Kayagi was your idea and it was a miracle that the master even agreed to it when he found out." Itan's smirk grew wider. "Also, what is he thinking of sending those two ladies to the palace?"

"I believe that is his own agenda." Seredy said narrowed his eyes. "I don't know the exact details but whatever that princess said shaken Yoshimitsu Kaidou badly to the point of collapsing." He took a deep breath and got to eye level with Itan Kyouji. "I want you find out who behind the attempt assassination so that I can provide a suitable answer to the master when needed."

"Right." Itan nodded and quietly slipped away. Once Seredy was sure that he was gone, he returned the spear to its hiding place.

"I wonder how much Itan actually know about the master." Seredy mused. "If he knew the actual identity…" He trailed off when he remembered his first meeting with the master a year after he captured Hana. It was one meeting which he did not wish to remember. The master was annoyed that he had moved without her consent and punished him badly by beating him up to the point where the pain was unbearable but it was not enough to kill him. He was also ordered not to revel the real gender of the master or people will put together the pieces.

'Her daughter…I remember seeing her once.' Seredy thought to himself. 'She looks exactly like Muraku Kaidou.'

No one knew about this, but Seredy had already pieced together the real parentage of Muraku the moment he saw the daughter of the master. It was also through them did he know the real status of the master.

'Mia and Muraku, the twins of the former queen of Lambary, Kinako Houjou. And Mia came to the court this morning, but why?' He wondered.

* * *

It did not take long for Yuno and her companions to arrive back at the Kaidou palace. Given that they travelled uninterrupted this time, they managed to make it back before the sun set.

"Yuno, thank goodness you are back." Jin greeted her as soon as she arrived back at their room.

"Jin, what happened?" Yuno asked with a frown.

"I don't know myself." Jin said frustratedly as he ran his hand through his hair. "But grandfather is now unconscious due to his heart failing him back then. I don't know if he will even wake up."

Yuno placed a comforting hand on his arm and smiled encouragingly. "Don't give up on hope. There may be a chance that he'll wake up soon. Also, I trust that you will find out more about the two foreign ladies soon enough."

"Thanks." Jin nodded and glanced at the door. "Where's Hana? I want to talk to her for a moment."

"I think she went to her room but if she's not there, then she could be at the garden." Yuno said thoughtfully and smiled. "You should definitely see her. I think it'll do her good. She was very subdued since we arrived at Odela."

"Alright." Jin nodded and slipped down to Hana's room but no one was there so he went down to the garden. Hana was indeed there and was weeding since it has been neglected for days as he was about to greet her, he spotted Sir Kamiya out of the corner of his eyes and ducked against a wall. He frowned as he watched Sir Kamiya strode up to her and whispered something to her which made her frown and push him away. But he grabbed her arm and yelled something at her which Jin could not hear. But from the looks of Hana's face, it was not very pleasant to her.

As much as he wanted to make himself known and help her, he knew that if he even showed an ounce of pity to Hana, Sir Kamiya will put two and two together and expose his secret to his grandfather if he woke up. But Hana caught his eye and was begging him to do something but he only stood there frozen and not moving.

Sir Kamiya then suddenly slapped her and grabbed her head, forcefully tilting it to the side. He sank his teeth in to the crook of her neck, causing her to cry out in pain. Jin's eyes became wide and was finally about to step in when Yuno's voice rang out from another part of the garden and Sendou pulled Sir Kamiya away from Hana. Yuno stormed in front of him and began to yell at him. This time, Jin can hear what she was saying.

"…And if I catch you harassing Hana again, I will not hesitate to tell Jin to lock you up in the dungeons!" Yuno yelled and nodded at Sendou who released Sir Kamiya. He glared at Hana and said something to her that made her flinch and stormed off. Yuno waited until he was gone and wrapped her arms around Hana who would not stop trembling.

Jin knew that he had seen enough so he quietly went back to his room, deciding to find Hana that night. But he berated himself for not helping Hana back there. He knew that Hana would definitely not forgive him for this.

* * *

Yuno had quickly brought Hana back to her room and had Sendou guard the door so that no one would bother them.

"Does it hurt?" Yuno asked as she tried to remove the collar of the dress so that she could have a look but Hana jerked away and moved the collar so that she would not see the bit mark.

Yuno frowned and observed her for a moment. "How long has he been harassing you?"

Hana looked away and held up one finger.

"One week?" Yuno guessed. But when Hana shook her head, Yuno's mouth dropped open. "He has been harassing you for one month and yet, you never told me anything about it?!"

Hana reached for her writing pad and wrote, _"He said that if I told anyone, then the first person he will hurt is you, queen or not."_

Yuno's eyes became wide and looked at her in disbelief. "But…"

 _"Do you trust me?"_ Hana suddenly wrote.

Yuno quickly nodded. "Yes. You and Jin are the only people in here whom I trust other than Catherin and the others."

 _"Then you have to remember that you cannot tell Jin about any of this until the time is right. Sir Kamiya is not afraid of hurting you because Yoshimitsu Kaidou is backing him up. The reason why he's doing this is because while he has a negative influence of Jin, you have a positive one. Yoshimitsu Kaidou is afraid that you will undo everything that he worked to turn Jin into and undo the legacy of terror he wants Jin to cast on the people. That's why he is backing up Sir Kamiya so that if he were to do anything to you, Jin would have no say in it. Also, I have a hunch that the attempt murder on you was his doing too."_

"But he was the one who arranged the marriage between Jin and I. Why would he do that?" Yuno said in shock.

 _"I found out this from Sir Kamiya. He said that Yoshimitsu Kaidou initially wanted Jin to marry you to set up the alliance but he never imagined that you and Jin would become friends and end up slowly turning his heart back to the good person he was. So, even if you die, as long as he can prove that it has nothing to do with him and manipulate the right people, the alliance will still stand."_

"The right people…you mean Bandit?" Yuno said in realization. "If he can pin the blame on Bandit, then my father will not suspect him and in the end, he will be looking for Jin to help him get revenge, something that Jin would be too willing to do."

 _"Exactly."_ Hana wrote down grimly. _"Yuno, remember, we must not tell any of this to Jin until we can prove that it is Yoshimitsu Kaidou behind the attempt murder. Also, you need to be more careful now."_ She paused in thought before continued writing, _"Our best bet is to wait until Sir Kamiya slips up. Then we can prove that Yoshimitsu Kaidou is behind the attempt murder and finally break Jin away from his influence."_

"But will he slip up that easily?" Yuno frowned but her eyebrows shot up at something. "Wait, why did Sir Kamiya tell you all that?"

Hana's face fell and looked away. Yuno narrowed her eyes and pulled her collar away. But what she saw made her hand tremble in shock. There were many bit scares all over the crook of her neck along with the fresh bit mark from before. "Oh Hana, why didn't you come to me earlier? I would have put a stop to it."

 _"It doesn't matter. I admit that there were times I simply let him so that he would let down his guard and tell me everything he knows. But other times, I don't want to remember them."_ Hana wrote shakily.

"Then did he…"

 _"No, he never raped me if that's what you're asking. But before I was brought to the palace, yes, Seredy made his men rape me if I tried to disobey him."_ Hana wrote and tears welled up in her eyes as the unwanted memories began to surface.

"You should have told me this before." Yuno hugged her tightly as Hana cried. Now she knew why Hana was jumpy at all form of contact when she first came into the palace and she wish that she never knew.


	25. The invitation

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Yuno soon went back to her room emotionally drained. After comforting Hana and watched her fall asleep, she had finally headed back. But there was something telling her at the back of her mind that she needed to tell Jin about this so she halted in her tracks and Sendo glanced at her curiously.

"Your highness?"

Yuno sighed and headed down to the throne room instead. "Come on. I have something I need to talk to Jin."

When she entered the throne room, all eyes were on her with Sir Kamiya at the front and Jin with an irritated look on his face.

"Ah, your highness." Sir Kamiya bowed at her with false respect. "I was just saying to the king that you are too kind on that slave when she is only a tool to be used and discarded when its usefulness is gone."

Jin visibly tensed at that as Yuno's fist trembled. "And what about it? I treat those under me the way I want to. It has nothing to do with you."

"But the people are already expecting her to be treated as any slave should. We will be ruin those expectations if she remains under you." Sir Kamiya said with a haughty smile.

"That is one expectation I would willingly destroy." Yuno glared at him and turned to Jin. "Your highness, you told me that once Hana is under me, it is entirely up to me to see fit as to how I should treat her. Are you going to stand for this so-called knight to slight me?"

"No, I won't." Jin said with narrowed eyes, clearly irritated with what Sir Kamiya is saying. "Sir Kamiya, I recommend that you apologize to Queen Yuno or the consequences will be server."

"But I only answer to Yoshimitsu Kaidou. If you want me to apologize to her, I will only do so if he tells me to." Sir Kamiya smirked.

Everyone watched with baited breath as Jin took a few deep breaths. Much to everyone's surprise, he spoke calmly. "Fine then. If that's the case, then I will make a deal with you. If you can catch the so-called princess who visited us yesterday. If you can personally bring her here, then I will overlook your crime. But if you don't by the end of three days, you will pay the price with your life."

Tougorou Kamiya's mouth dropped open at the proposal. "Wait, your highness, there's no need to give him such a…"

"Alright, I accept."

"What?!" Tougorou spluttered. "Son, do think about how dangerous this is…"

"Don't worry, daddy. I'll bring her back." Sir Kamiya smirked.

"Then why don't you start from here?"

Everyone spun to the entrance as Mia smirked and placed a hand on her hips. "Since I have not stepped into the throne room, you can take this chance to bring me in before I step on foot inside."

"How did you get there?" Jin ask as he stood up.

"I came here through the same way I did yesterday to deliver a message to you from my mother…but that can wait." Mia said nonchalantly. Yuno observed her with interest. There was no spite or malice in her words but only playfulness.

'This is certainly one weird princess.' She thought to herself.

"Very well then." Jin cleared his throat. "Sir Kamiya, since she's offering you a chance to capture her, I suggest that you make most of it."

"But of course." Sir Kamiya smirked and drew out his sword. With a yell, he ran at her, brandishing his sword. Mia let out a breath and her eyes became sharp. With a flick of her wrist, one of her short swords flew out of its hiding spot in her skirt and parried his blow. She drew back her open palm and knocked away his sword before planting a kick straight at his head, sending him flying a few meters back. Sir Kamiya pushed himself up and glared at her.

"I'm still waiting." Mia grinned as she folded her arms and pretended to wait.

Sir Kamiya growled and lunged at her, raising his fists with the intention of punching her. But Mia blocked each punch and slammed her open palm on his heart just like how she did on the soldier the day before.

"Kyosuke!" Tougorou Kamiya squealed as he dropped down beside his son and rolled him to the side. Sir Kamiya grunted and spit out blood while glaring at Mia.

"I hope you don't underestimate me again." Mia said coldly to him before stepping into the throne room. "Since I am done with him, care to get down to business?"

Jin snapped his head at her and quietly nodded. "But of course. What is it that you want this time?"

Mia flicked her wrist and her sword flew back into her skirt. She reached into one of her sleeves and took out a scroll. "My mother asked me to give this to you." She tossed it at him and he caught it deftly. "Make no mistake. I'm just a messenger carrying out my mother's orders. If you want to know why, just surrender the Jade Crown before it is too late and you will never hear from me again."

She bowed and took her leave. Jin watched the door for a few minutes and gestured for Yuno to follow him. "The court is dismissed for the rest of the day. Get Sir Kamiya to the infirmary."

* * *

As soon as they got back into their room, Jin broke the seal on the scroll and opened it, reading it together with Yuno.

"The princess' mother wants me to meet her next week?" He frowned. "And I should bring only two of my trusted people if I want to know where Muraku is."

"So what are you going to do?" Yuno said worriedly.

"I should go and see what this is about." Jin said grimly. "Also, she's giving me a chance to let me know Muraku's whereabouts as well as her history with my grandfather."

"But for what? He's your brother, isn't he? And you promised him that you won't find him but you broke it when you sent Sir Kamiya to capture him." Yuno pointed out.

"I know." Jin groaned as he ran his hand down his face. "But on another hand, this would be the perfect opportunity to find out what happened between her and grandfather or I won't be able to look at him the way I did before."

"Alright, I understand that. But who are you bringing with you?"

"Isn't it obvious? You and Hana are my most trusted people." Jin shrugged. "But you don't have to come if you don't want to."

"If that's the case, we'll go with you." Yuno promised him. "But before that, you need to talk to Hana. She's badly shaken up by what Sir Kamiya did to her."

"I will. But ironically, I'm thankful to Princess Mia for indirectly teaching him a lesson." Jin chuckled. "I doubt that he would even be able to catch her in three days. After that, I'll throw him into the dungeons for as long as I can."

"Normally I would be opposed to this but he was not only disrespectful to me, but to you too." Yuno giggled. "But for now, you should worry more about Hana. Take some time off to see her and let her know about this."

"I will." Jin nodded and headed out of the room. Once he was gone, Yuno's smile dropped and she sat down on the bed.

"I really hope that Sir Kaimya will be put behind bars. But if Jin really does that, then our chances of exposing his grandfather will be gone." Yuno said to herself. "I might as well find another way to prove to Jin that his grandfather is trying to get rid of me."

She got up and paced around her room in deep thought when an idea occurred to her. 'Jin may be angry at me for this, but I can only look to Aidara for help. They are my only hope to break Jin away from Yoshimitsu Kaidou's influence and if possible, give back the Jade Crown, whatever it is, to Princess Mia and her mother before things get out of hand.'

* * *

"Hana, open up." Jin knocked on her door. He waited for a moment and Hana peaked out. She frowned when she saw him and was about to slam the door shut. But Jin stopped her by pushing his weight on the door. "Hana, I'm sorry I did not step in to stop Sir Kamiya from harassing you. But if he found out about what happened between us five years ago, he will definitely tell grandfather about it and he will kill you."

But this made Hana even angrier and pushed harder to close the door. Eventually, Jin managed to push open the door wide enough for him to slip in. Once inside, he quickly locked the door and turned to Hana who refused to look at him. "Hana, would you please believe me? I really want to keep you safe."

Hana turned her head sharply at him and grabbed her writing pad. _"Even if it meant that he might take further advantage of me?"_

"Don't be silly. I would definitely step in if he even thought of that." Jin growled.

 _"Is retaining your position as king more important then?"_

"No, you are. But you have to understand that even if my grandfather is in coma now, the moment he wakes up, Sir Kamiya will be too happy to expose our relationship and he will kill you." Jin tried to explain.

 _"Past relationship."_ Hana corrected him. _"I no longer saw myself as your lover the moment you tried to use me to get Aidara's hideout's whereabouts. I told you before, the Jin that I fell in love with is the one who knows that he is not a puppet and will not allow himself to be corrupted by others."_

"Then what do you want me to do before you'll forgive me!?" Jin shouted in frustration.

 _"Let go of your hate and anger in your heart and again, prove to me that the Jin I fell in love with is still there. Otherwise, you will continue to stay under your grandfather's influence."_ Hana simply wrote. _"Yuno and I really hope that you will break away from him and see the wrongs of your actions. Otherwise, you can never forgive yourself if you ever regret it in the future."_

Jin could only stare at the paper and clenched his jaw. "Fine then." He turned away and rested his head on the door. "The princess from Lambary came again. She wants me to bring two of the people I trust the most to meet her mother. I want answers as to what is her history with my grandfather. So I'm going to meet her. I already talked with Yuno and she already agreed to go with me. If you want, you can come too."

With that, he unlocked the door and left the room. Once he was gone, Hana sat down on the bed, filled with disappointment. 'Not even I can convince him to stop. I guess that it will take a huge blow for him to understand. But I really hope that it does not have to come to that. On the other hand, there's more to Lambary than what meets the eye. What could be so terrifying about them that even Yoshimitsu Kaidou is afraid of them?'

* * *

 **So yeah...Hana and Jin's relationship is still very rocky. One moment it's fine, another moment it's tense. The hate-love thing is still there by the way.**


	26. Reika is very shy

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Reika stared at the house she heard that Takeru was staying at and then at the scroll Yuko had given her to give the owner of the house which just so happened to be Takeru's residence too. Truth to be told, she would rather be anywhere in the forest than here. But orders was orders…or so she was told yesterday.

* * *

 _"The queen had sent these while the both of you were out." Yuko told them when they came back from their little excursion to the Kaidou palace, showing them the two scrolls that she received from the messenger._

 _"Did she say anything else?" Mia asked as she took one of them._

 _"Yes." Yuko nodded. "We have to give these to King Jin of the Kaidou Empire and Prince Ban of Aradia. I heard that the latter has been staying here in Wecasta for the past five years so that will be easy."_

 _"Why are we supposed to give them these?" Reika took the other one and looked at it curiously._

 _"The queen is inviting them to visit her next week so she wants to talk to the both of them." Yuko shrugged._

 _"But wouldn't that be dangerous for her? I mean, the king might be bringing his soldiers to capture her. And since the queen of Wecasta is suspecting me to be part of Bandit, or whatever it is, wouldn't she do the same for this Ban?" Mia frowned worriedly._

 _"I think that's her intention. To stir up more trouble between Wecasta and the Kaidou Empire." Yuko sighed._

 _"But why would she do that?" Reika cocked her head._

 _"It's complicated." Mia and Yuko said at the same time._

 _Reika only looked more confuse at that and Yuko sighed again. "Long story short, if she takes down both sides, then no one can stop her from reviving Lambary."_

 _"Is it too late to say that I changed my mind and would like to go back to the forest?" Reika hesitantly asked._

 _"Yes." Mia nodded._

 _Reika whined and banged her head on the window. "Humans are scarier than animals."_

 _"We heard that Reika." Yuko deadpanned. "Anyway, Mia's scroll will need to be delivered to King Jin while yours will need to be delivered to Prince Ban. I heard that he's staying in a house next to the palace so you will have to go there."_

 _"Wait, me?" Reika pointed at herself incredulously. "But why can't you?"_

 _"Because orders are orders." Yuko shrugged. "Come on now, how hard can it be?"_

* * *

Now Reika wished that she never allowed Yuko to convince her to leave the forest in the first place. It was not until she came here that she remembered that Takeru was staying here too. "Oh boy. What am I going to do now?"

Inside the house, Ami, Kazu and Arata were watching Reika curiously from the window as she paced around and fidgeted in frustration.

"I wonder what is she doing out there." Kazu said shook his head and glanced at Arata who shrugged.

"She's wearing a similar outfit to the princess of Lambary based on Haruki's description. But I don't have the impression that she's actually a threat."

"Looks can be deceiving you know." Hikaru said quietly as he joined them at the window.

"We won't know anything if we just stay here." Ami pointed out. "Someone should go out and see what she wants."

"But who would be foolish enough to do that?" Kazu ran a hand through his dreadlocks. "I mean, if she is the princess' companion, then wouldn't it mean that she's also a good fighter too?"

"But if we don't go out and see what she wants, she's going to be there all day." Arata pointed out.

"I'll go." Hikaru volunteered.

"You sure?" Arata raised an eyebrow.

"The sooner we get over with this, the sooner she'll leave." Hikaru shrugged and went out. Reika stopped pacing when she saw him and froze unable to think of what to say.

"Who are you and what do you want with us?" Hikaru asked, folding his arms.

"I…um…oh forget it!" Reika snapped and turned to leave. "I just can't do it!"

"Do what?" Hikaru narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Animals are easier to communicate with than humans." Reika lamented under her breath as she got ready to run when someone called her name and she froze.

"It really is you Reika." Takeru said as he jogged over.

"You know her?" Hikaru asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup." He nodded and turned to her. "So what brings you here?"

"I…" Reika's eyes darted around and finally, she threw her hands up in frustration. "I give up. Here." She thrusted the scroll to Hikaru. "I was told to give this to the owner of the house. Give it to him for me. Goodbye!" With that, she took off running.

"Wait!" Takeru tried to catch up with her but she was already long gone.

"What was that all about?" Arata wondered as he and the others stepped out.

"I don't know but she gave me this." Hikaru said, holding up the scroll.

"Well, Ban would probably be back by tonight, so we'll wait for him to come back to have a look at it." Kazu shrugged.

"Takeru, how did you know her?" Ami asked him curiously.

"Well, remember the time I went hiking in the woods? I met her then. She's actually a nomad in the forest and barely leaves the forest." He explained.

"Then what is she doing here and what is her relationship with the princess?" Arata frowned.

"I don't know." Takeru shook his head. "I only know that she has a teacher who taught her to survive in the forest who wanted to bring her back to her country. It could be that she is the one who is related to the princess."

"Then do you know where we can find her?"

"At the inn east of town."

Arata cocked his head at him and then at the scroll. "I'm going over to the inn to find out what this is all about. Hikaru, you coming?"

Hikaru nodded and followed his friend to the inn. Meanwhile, Ami was giving Takeru a suspicious look. "Takeru, what exactly happened in the forest that day?"

Takeru froze and sweat poured out of his brow. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, if she was connected to the princess, then why is she living in the forest?" Ami said and got eye level with him and gave him her infamous suspicious glare. "Well? I'm waiting."

'Oh dear.' Kazu thought with a sweatdrop as he snuck back into the house, ignoring Takeru's pleading glances. 'Ami is very fierce now that she's pregnant. I wish you all the best Takeru.'

* * *

"We're here." Arata and Hikaru stopped when they came to the inn. "Do you think that they'll still be here?"

"I don't know but there's only one way to find out." Hikaru said and went inside with Arata following behind him. They went over to the counter and the innkeeper raised an eyebrow at them.

"I was beginning to wonder if you guys would ever show up." He remarked.

"Where are the foreign ladies staying at?" Arata asked him.

"Third floor, last door on the left." The innkeeper told them.

"Thanks." Arata nodded and went up to the said room. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

The door cracked open and Yuko peaked out, frowning when she saw them. "What do you want?"

"I would like to know the meaning behind this scroll and the recent visit of the princess of Lambary who created an uproar at the palace." Arata said in an even voice as he held up the scroll.

Yuko narrowed her eyes. 'Wasn't Reika supposed to give it to Prince Ban? Why is it in his hands?'

As though knowing what she was thinking, Arata said, "Ban is my brother and he's not around right now."

"Then give it to him when he comes back." Yuko said dismissively.

"Not unless you tell us what are your intentions for all the mayhem you caused." Arata said pointedly.

"I don't have anything to say about it." Yuko said stiffly. "I'm only following the orders of my queen. Good day." With that, she slammed the door shut at their face.

"What do you think we should do now?" Hikaru asked his red haired friend as they walked out of the inn.

"I don't know. Maybe we should just wait for Ban to come back." Arata sighed.

Yuko sighed in relief as she watched them walked off from the window but frowned. 'Reika hasn't come back yet despite already delivering the scroll. Don't tell me she ran back into the forest.' She thought crossly and grabbed her sword to go find her.

* * *

'Finally.' Takeru thought as he entered the forest. 'I thought that Ami would never let me go. She's very scary nowadays now that she's pregnant.' He shivered.

"Takeru!"

Takeru lifted his head and saw Reika jump down from a tree in front of him, startling him a little. He also noticed that she was wearing her cloak again instead of the dress. "Reika? What are you doing here?"

"I can't stand it anymore." She whined. "I don't want to go back with Master Yuko. I want to stay here."

Takeru sweatdropped at that. "Is it that easy for you to change your mind?"

"Yes." Reika nodded. "When she first tried to convince me to leave, I forgot how scary it was talking to humans compare to animals."

"But…you saved me from the bear…and you chatted with me…"

Reika sighed and sat down on a falling log. "I don't really know what's gotten into me when I saved you. Ok, I do try to make sure that Mama Bear doesn't kill anyone but you were the first person who fainted after encountering her so I had to bring you back to my hut. But before you woke up, I had no idea of what I am supposed to say to you. When you did, the words just poured out of my mouth without me really knowing about what I was saying."

Takeru gave her a sympathetic smile and sat down beside her. "I see what you mean. There was this girl that I like very much but I didn't know what to say to her whenever I tried to tell her how much she means to me. But by the time I thought of the words that I wanted to tell her, she died. I wish that I did as you did. Just let the words come out by themselves instead of hesitating."

Reika lifted her head at him with a kind smile. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Well, it's ok." Takeru shrugged. "I'm slowly getting over it."

Reika grinned and stood up. "Then why don't we hang out in the forest and forget about our troubles? Since you were kind enough to show me around town, let me return the favor by showing you around the forest so that you won't get lost again."

Takeru grinned and nodded. "Sure, I'd love that."


	27. Fun in the forest

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"Just where is she!?" Yuko sighed in exasperation as she wandered over to Reika's hut only to find that she isn't there. She grunted as she stormed off, unaware that the said apprentice was watching her from a tree with Takeru.

"Shouldn't you let her know that you're here?" He asked her.

"No way." Reika shook her head adamantly. "She'll only force me to go back with her and wear that dress again." She said in disgust.

"Alright, I hear you." Takeru shrugged. "So where should we go now? I mean, your teacher will be looking for you."

"Mama Bear's place." Reika said without missing a beat. "I haven't seen Tuga and Chi in a while."

"What?!" Takeru exclaimed, remembering his last encounter with the mother bear.

"Don't worry. As long as she knows that you're my friend, she won't attack you at all." Reika assured him with a grin as she climbed down. "And you'll love Tuga and Chi, her cubs. They are just the most adorable and the most playful cubs I've seen."

"Well, if you insist." Takeru said hesitantly and climbed down too. He followed her down to the same cave he stumbled across and shivered when the mother bear lumbered out. But this time, she was calmer than before and had two small furry balls following her.

"Hi Mama Bear." Reika cooed and rubbed her head, a gesture which the bear clearly enjoyed. "This is my friend, Takeru."

The bear lifted her head at him and he squirmed, unmoving due to fear. She lumbered over and sniffed all over him. Seeming satisfied, she lumbered back to Reika and growled something that made her nodded.

"Sure, I'll make sure that I bring back Tuga and Chi before the sun sets." Reika promised and picked up the two cubs. Mama Bear grunted and went back inside.

"What did she say?" Takeru cocked his head.

"She said that we can take these two out to play." Reika smiled and placed the brown furred cub into Takeru's arms. "This is Tuga, the younger brother of the duo. But be careful with your hair, he likes to chew on hair and his own fur too."

Takeru laughed and patted his head. He glanced at the slightly larger black furred cub in Reika's arms and smiled. "I take it that this one is Chi."

"Yup." Reika nodded. "She can be quite the handful, but their good kids. Come on, I'll show you where we usually play."

* * *

Yuko was getting more and more impatient as she went back to the hut. So far, she could not find her anywhere and it was afternoon already.

"Just wait until I get my hands on her." She fumed. However, it occurred to her that her apprentice was in fact avoiding her and she groaned, sitting down by the creek. After refreshing herself, she got up to resume her search.

Meanwhile, oblivious to the fact that her mentor was still searching for her, Reika and Takeru were having the time of their lives playing with the two bear cubs.

"I have to admit, their more playful than I imagined." Takeru laughed when Tuga caught some locks of his blond hair in his muzzle and chewed on it.

"Glad you're having fun." Reika chuckled as she helped hoist Chi onto a branch. The little black bear cub grabbed a twig and chewed on it.

"Reika!"

Reika and Takeru jumped. Reika peaked over the bushes and panicked when she saw that Yuko was heading in their direction. She grabbed Chi and Takeru's hand after making sure that Tuga was secure in his arms. "Run!" She hissed.

She pulled him back to Mama Bear's cave and ducked inside. The mother bear was clearly puzzled to see them back this early but growled when she heard Yuko's footsteps.

"No Mama Bear." Reika whispered as she patted her back so that she won't stand up. "Keep quiet and she'll go away."

Mama Bear grunted and picked up both cubs by the scruff, hugging her body into a ball around them. Reika and Takeru ducked behind her large form as Yuko peaked into the cave. Seeing the large bear made Yuko think twice about entering so she quickly scurried away. Once they were sure that she was gone, Reika and Takeru released the breath they did not know they have been holding.

"You can't keep on avoiding her. She'll find you eventually." Takeru pointed out.

"Don't worry, I have my ways just as she has hers." Reika waved it off. "I think it would be best if you went back already. I don't want her to see you and know that you've been with me this whole while. Sorry if I wasted your time today."

"If you insist." Takeru smiled wryly. "But I had fun, so it wasn't for nothing."

Reika smiled back and led him down the cave. "There's an exit behind the cave which leads you directly back to Wecasta. I'm going to stay here a little longer in case she comes back. Then don't come and find me for the next few days or until she goes back to her homeland. I'll probably be hiding in another part of the forest or somewhere else."

"Alright then." Takeru reluctantly nodded. When they came to the exit, he waved at her. "Bye."

Reika waved back and once he was gone, she slipped back to Mama Bear's den. Seeing that the she bear and her cubs were napping, she tiptoed out of the cave and started back for her hut.

"Reika!"

Reika gasped and took off running with Yuko hot on her tail. "Come back here!"

Reika gulped only ran faster, coming to a clearing. She whipped out her flute and quickly played a soft melody as the wind began to pick up. When Yuko saw what she was doing, she groaned.

"At this rate, I'll never be able to bring her back to the queen." She said to herself as she ran into the clearing only to be blown off her feet by the wind. When it died down, Reika was no longer around.

"Great." Yuko sighed in exasperation. "I have no idea where she went to and I'm going to have to think of something to explain to Princess Mia and the queen." She shivered at the last part, remembering how scary the queen can be when she was upset and angry. She could only hope that Mia understood and helped her put a good word to her mother.

* * *

Reika lowered her flute as the wind died down. She sighed in relief when she noticed that she was not in Wecasta's forest anymore, but in Machila's.

"Thank goodness." She sighed in relief. "I'm finally away from Master Yuko. Now I just have to wait until she leaves then I can go back."

She kept her flute in her pouch and strode along the path that she was on. It was not long before she reached the edge of the town. "I might as well stay away from here. I don't want to be seen or talked to."

Alas for such plans, she was soon spotted and none other than Muraku.

* * *

"Mike, where are you going?" Vanessa sighed as she stopped her son from following Muraku out.

"I wanna fo'ow Un'e Mu'ak'." Mike said innocently.

"No Mike. Uncle Muraku is going into the forest to look for something." Vanessa said and picked him up. "You cannot follow him in there. You can get lost and never come back."

Mike pouted and wrapped his tiny arms around his mother's neck. "Wh' he go?"

"I don't know." Vanessa frowned as she gazed at the direction of the forest.

"I'm sure that he'll be fine." Mikhail said as he came over and kissed Vanessa's temple. "You should get some rest. I'll take care of Mike and dinner."

"Are you sure that you can handle it?" She asked doubtfully. "Dinner is one thing and taking care of Mike is another. You can only choose one while I take care of the other."

"And I choose for my wife to rest now and take care of little junior." Mikhail teased as he took Mike from her.

Vanessa rolled her eyes but went back to their room. "Alright, but the moment you think that you cannot handle it, don't hesitate to call me."

"Don't worry, I will." Mikhail chuckled and went into the kitchen.

"Why doesn't that make me feel better?" Vanessa muttered under her breath, wishing that Muraku would come back soon in case things got out of hand in the kitchen.

* * *

Meanwhile, Muraku silently went down the path that led deeper into the forest with his guard up. He had sensed that there was something in the forest but if it was hostile or not, he didn't know. But one thing he was certain was he had to investigate in case it was Bandit or someone from the Kaidou Empire.

"Muraku?"

Muraku jumped and spun around, pointing his sword at the person who called him who turned out to be Reika. She shrieked and jumped away.

"Keep that thing away from me." She complained as she held up her hands.

"Reika." He sighed in relief as he replaced his sword on his belt. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Wecasta."

"I was, but certain things happened and I have to hide out here for now." She sighed. "So how have you been since we last met?"

"I've been fine." Muraku smiled but his face became serious. "Has there been any Bandit activity recently?"

"Nope." Reika shook her head. "They have been very quiet for the past few weeks but this guy who looks very important has been meeting with someone in the Kaidou Empire, at least, that's what I've been told."

"Where did you hear this from anyway?" Muraku asked curiously.

"Some of the birds who live around there. Words tend to spread faster with animals." Reika grinned innocently. "By the way, you never mentioned that you have a twin."

"What?" Muraku said in shock and confusion. "What are you talking about? I don't have a twin. I'm an only child as far as I remember before I was adopted by Yoshimitsu Kaiodu."

"But the princess from this country…what is it call again? Lambry…Lababi…."

"Lambary?"

"Ah, yes, Lambary. She looks just like you except she's a girl." Reika nodded.

Muraku frowned at this and looked away. He knows that he was an only child so the possibilities of someone looking like him was very little. But he knew that Reika was never one to exaggerate or lie about something since she technically did not know how to lie to humans. Even so, there was no way he could have a twin, could he?

"Also, there's one more thing." Reika spoke up seriously as she remembered something. "Princess Mia's mother wants King Jin and someone call Prince Ban to meet her. But I don't know much of the details though."

The gears in Muraku's head spun as he tried to figure out what the queen was planning. Something clicked in his mind and he gasped. "I think I know what she is trying to do."

"You do?" Reika cocked her head in confusion.

"Yes." Muraku nodded. "If my hunch is correct, then there might be bloodshed if these two people meet."

"What?!" Reika became pale. "Then if that happens, then it would be my fault!"

"Why?"

"Because I was told to give the invitation to Prince Ban!" She wailed.

Muraku sighed and patted her shoulder. "It's fine. You didn't know that it would lead to this. But I'm going to need your help to prevent them from meeting."

"I'm in." Reika nodded firmly.

Muraku nodded gratefully at her. "Thanks. But it's getting late. Why don't you come and stay over at my friend's house and we'll think up of something tomorrow."

"No thanks." Reika shook her head adamantly. "I'm sleeping on a real branch tonight. It's been nights since I last did it."

"Suit yourself." Muraku shrugged, not finding her antics weird anymore after knowing her for a year.

Reika hopped up to a large wide branch as he was leaving the forest. "We'll meet here again tomorrow?"

"Sure." Muraku nodded and left.

As Reika was about to settle down for the night a thought occurred to her. 'I forgot to tell him about the queen's grudge against Yoshimitsu Kaidou and the Jade Crown…I need to remember to tell him about this tomorrow. It could be vital.' With that thought in mind, she snuggled on the branch and fell asleep.


	28. Intruder

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

When Muraku arrived back at Mikhail's cottage, he was surprise to see Vanessa and Mike were outside the cottage while there was smoke coming out from the back windows where the kitchen was.

"What happened?" He asked worriedly as he ran over.

"Mikhail trying to cook while taking care of Mike at the same time, that's what." Vanessa sighed as she allowed Mike to run up to him. "Luckily I didn't leave them long so the only bad thing that happened in the kitchen is a burnt pot of stew."

"I see." Muraku bit back a laugh. Mikhail came out at that moment with a sheepish face.

"Lesson learned, never leave Mikhail to cook on his own." Vanessa rolled her eyes as she went over to him and wiped off the soot on his face.

"I hear you." Mikhail muttered. "So where did you go just now Muraku?"

"Just to the forest." He shrugged. "But I need to go back there tomorrow morning. So don't be surprise if I don't show up for breakfast."

Mikhail and Vanessa exchanged glances but did not ask about what he was doing in the forest since they knew that he wouldn't give them a straight answer.

"Well, I'm going to make dinner so please watch over Mike." Vanessa finally said and went inside.

Once she was inside, Mike tugged on his father's hand. "Din'er?"

"Yes Mike. Mama is making dinner." Mikhail pulled him to his lap.

"Daddy no co'?" He asked innocently.

"Nope." Mikhail shook his head with a sigh. "Your mama wouldn't let me anymore."

Mike giggled at that while Muraku hid a smile behind his hand. Mikhail glared at his friend for that. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Muraku shook his head as his smile faded.

"Hey Muraku, is there anything bothering you?" Mikhail asked him concernedly.

"Why do you ask that?" Muraku raised an eyebrow at him.

"You have that bothered look in your eyes." Mikhail said pointedly.

Muraku kept quiet for a moment and glanced away. "It's nothing serious. I have yet to confirm anything for certain yet, but it shouldn't be too bad. How's packing up by the way?"

"Pretty good. At this rate, we can move in two days' time." Mikhail shrugged.

Muraku frowned and placed a hand on his chin in thought. It would take two days for them to get to Wecasta and it might be too late for him to warn Ban about it. He made up his mind about something and turned to go inside. "I think Vanessa should be done by now. Let's see if she needs any help setting up the table."

Mikhail nodded in agreement and carried Mike inside. But neither men were aware that blood red eyes were watching them. Once they were inside, the owner of the blood red eyes crackled in laughter, anticipating the action he was going to take that night.

* * *

Reika tossed and turned on the branch as the wind blew against her. Frustrated, she sat up and looked around. She frowned when she realized that the wind was unnatural since it was only blowing at her but the tree did not sway with the wind.

"Weird." She closed her eyes and focused on the wind. But what she felt in it made her snap her eyes open and grabbed her Jian sword which was hanging on another branch. With a new sense of urgency, she leapt down the three and ran in the direction the wind was guiding her.

She soon arrived at Mikhail's cottage just in time to see someone breaking down the door. Knowing that its occupants may not be able to respond in time to the intruder, Reika dashed forward and knocked the intruder away from the door. The intruder growled and pulled out a small blade from his cloak, swinging it at her.

Reika retaliated by side stepping him and blocked his blow with her Jian sword when he redirected his blade at her. As the both of them exchanged blows, she became vaguely aware that the occupants of the house were rising at all the noise they were making so she quickly pulled out her flute from her pocket and played a wailing tone which summoned bats that encircled the intruder, bringing him into the forest. Reika hastily followed them just as Mikhail and Muraku ran out with their swords in hand and saw them going into the forest.

"Am I hallucinating or was there someone brought by bats into the forest?" Mikhail said in alarm.

"You're not." Muraku shook his head. Somehow, he had an inkling that Reika was behind it. "You stay here and make sure that nothing comes here and harm Vanessa and Mike. I'm going to go and investigate this."

"Alright, but be careful." Mikhail nodded at his friend and ran back into the cottage while Muraku ran into the forest.

"Just what happened?" He muttered to himself. Following the screams and the sound of scuffle, he soon came to a clearing where Reika and another guy was. The guy was covered in bites and his cloak was shred into pieces.

Reika held her Jian sword to his throat. "Talk, what were you doing, breaking into that house?"

"Like I would tell you!" The guy spat, panting for breath.

"Do we need another repeat of what happened or will you tell?" Reika raised an eyebrow as she held up her flute.

"Like I would care!"

"Suit yourself." Reika shrugged and was about to blow into her flute when a hand stopped her.

"Reika, that's not the best way to solve the problem." Muraku said quietly as he removed his hand and knelt down before the guy. "So you saw him trying to break into the cottage just now?"

"Yes." Reika nodded, lifting her Jian sword a little but not entirely. "But from what I gathered of this guy, he's up to no good. His scent tell it all."

Muraku looked back at the guy who was now glaring at him. "What were you planning to do had Reika not stopped you?"

"To drag your pathetic butt back to the Kaidou Empire, that's what!" The guy spat. "King Yoshimitsu demanded that I spied on you and when I find the right moment, I'll capture you while killing the occupants of your house."

Muraku's eyebrows twitched at that declaration and raised his fist to punch him. But Reika beat him to it and kicked the guy in the gut.

"I don't know what you are talking about. But if it involves anything related to hurting my friends or his friends, then I'm definitely stepping in." Reika snarled and kicked him again, knocking him unconscious.

Muraku took a deep breath to calm himself and lowered his fist. He checked the guy and shook his head. "Nothing that can tell us anything about him."

"So what should we do about him? I mean, if we leave him here, he'll be bound to try again tomorrow." Reika frowned.

"We'll just tie him up and leave him here." Muraku decided as he grabbed a vine from a tree and tied the guy up to the nearest tree. He turned to Reika and looked at her up and down. "He didn't do anything to you, didn't he?"

"Nope." Reika shook her head and re-sheathed her Jian sword. "But I don't think we should be relief just yet. If what he said was true, then you and your friends are in danger."

"I know." Muraku said softly. "I'm going to bring Mikhail and his family to Wecasta as soon as possible so that they will be safer there."

Reika visibly tensed at the mention of Wecasta and laughed nervously. "And I'll just stay here and protect your other friend like you asked me to…"

"But before that, I need you to bring us to Wecasta because I need to get there before Ban and Arata set off to meet the queen of Lambary." Muraku said seriously.

"Alright…oh, I just remembered something very important that I forgot to tell you just now. Apparently the queen has a huge grudge against the king of the Kaidou Empire because he killed the king of Lambary and stole something call the Jade Crown from him." Reika told him seriously.

Muraku raised his head in surprise. "So can I safely assume that the princess of Lambary told you that?"

"Yup. Mia, the princess, told me the entire story."

"Mia." Muraku murmured quietly. The name was so foreign to him and yet, there was something drawing him to that name. "Thanks for the info. We'll talk more about this tomorrow morning."

"Sure. And don't worry about this guy. He won't be going anywhere near your friends again. I can assure that." Reika said, pointing at the intruder.

"Thank you." Muraku nodded and headed back out of the forest.

Once he was out of sight, Reika glanced at the man and smirked, pulling out her flute. "Be thankful that I'm not as sadistic as Master Yuko." She blew into her flute and more vines shot out of the trees and added to the vine which Muraku used to tie him up. Then, she grabbed a pile of leaves, crushing them together with some tree sap and threw them on the man, making him look like a chicken with leaves instead of feathers. Reika grinned at her handiwork and climbed back up the tree. "Good night."

* * *

 *** A Jian sword is a Chinese sword. Google it up to see what it is**


	29. Chapter 29

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

It was a grim morning as Mikhail surveyed the damage on the door. Luckily, he and Muraku managed to bolt it into place for the night with a chair. He sighed as he removed the chair and the door fell down at his feet.

"I'm sorry."

Mikhail spun around with a frown at his friend. "For what?"

"For this." Muraku waved at the door. "And for nearly putting you, Vanessa, and Mike in danger again."

"Oh the door isn't much of a problem." Mikhail shrugged and frowned. "But blaming yourself again, that will definitely warrant another speech from Vanessa on how we chose to stand by your side and that will only make you feel guiltier. So please stop doing that otherwise you'll never hear the end of it from her."

"You have a point." Muraku gave a humorless chuckle. "But I would suggest that we keep the assassin's motives a secret from Vanessa for the time being and focus on finishing up the packing as soon as possible. Once we are done, we need to head over to Wecasta as fast as we can."

"Muraku, why do I have a feeling that there is more than to avoiding more assassins coming here?" Mikhail asked his friend concernedly.

Muraku hesitated and shook his head. "Not at the moment. But if we don't get to Wecasta soon, I'm afraid that things will go out of control between Ban and Jin."

"What are you talking about?" Vanessa asked with a frown as she came over to the two men.

"I would like to know too." Mikhail added and gave Muraku a pointed look.

"I will explain everything later when I finalize a few things with someone." Muraku promised them and went out.

"I wonder who this 'someone' Muraku's talking about is." Vanessa said with a shake of her head.

"I'm sure that he'll explain to us soon…I hope" Mikhail sighed.

* * *

"Reika!" Muraku called once he reached the spot he last saw her. He raised an eyebrow when he spotted the leave covered assassin and Reika jumped down from the tree, clearly pleased with her handiwork. "Do I want to know what you did to him?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Reika grinned cheekily.

Muraku could only shake his head and gestured for Reika to walk with him. "I'm hoping that my friend can move to Wecasta by tomorrow, but I'm afraid that Ban may leave earlier than that, given that we know literally nothing about where the queen wants to meet them."

"I think it may be out of my range." Reika said thoughtfully. "Mia once described her home to me and I don't think I have been there before. But I'm sure that I can get you and your friends to Wecasta within an hour once you set off."

"Thanks. Is there anything I need to know about the princess or her mother?"

"Well, like me, she's a good fighter as well and I heard that she learned from her mother and Master Yuko." Reika shrugged.

"I see." Muraku nodded. "Anyway, I already have a plan in mind. Once we set off to Wecasta, you need to bring us there as soon as possible and then come back here to protect Kageto. I'll try to convice Ban not to go. If I can't, then I will have no choice but to follow him."

"Then you'll need this." Reika said, giving Muraku a wooden whistle. "If you meet any trouble, just use the whistle and I'll be there to help you out."

"I'll try not to use it." Muraku flashed a dry smile.

"I'm serious." Reika said with a serious look. "Look, I don't really know how to describe Mia or Master Yuko, but they can be extremely dangerous if they want to. If they are already like that, then who knows how much more dangerous would the queen be. I'm the only person who can help get you guys out of trouble since my fighting skills are on par with Mia so you have to use the whistle if there is no other option."

"I see your point." Muraku frowned. "Alright, thanks for everything."

"Remember, if you feel that you are in danger, don't hesitate to blow the whistle." Reika reminded him and leapt up a tree. "I'll be waiting for you and your friends here."

Muraku nodded and headed back for the cottage, knowing that he'll have to explain everything to his friends when he got back.

* * *

Ban frowned as he turned the scroll in his hands again. Arata, Ami and Kazu were huddled at the table before him as they waited for him to say something.

"I don't like this." He finally said. "The fact that this message came just after the princess of Lambary's appearance here is too disconcerting."

"And Haruki is the only one who saw her other than Queen Renneton and her court. Even then, he didn't know that she is the princess." Arata frowned. "Ever since then, none of us have seen her at all nor did she appear at the court again."

"What about the messenger who gave the scroll?"

"Takeru seems to know her but she didn't stay long at all. I heard that she disappeared as soon as she gave us the scroll." Kazu shrugged.

"Ok…I guess we can rule her out of being involved in any of this. But on the other hand, that does not meant that she does not know anything about what's happening. We might need to find her to figure out the situation of Lambary and the Kaidou Empire. Based on what Queen Renneton told me this morning when I went to report to her, she told me that the queen of Lambary has a huge grudge on Yoshimitsu Kaidou, but for what reason, she refused to tell me."

"I wonder why." Ami frowned.

"It must be something she wants us to figure out ourselves." Ban sighed. "Anyway, I decided, I'm going to meet the queen and see what she wants with me."

"But isn't it going to be dangerous?" Kazu frowned.

"The queen said that I can bring two other people with me. So you and Arata will come with me. But I'm going to ask Queen Renneton to send some of her troops to follow us from a distance in case we run into trouble."

"That may be a good idea." Ami said in agreement. But little do they know, it may be the worst idea they had.

* * *

"I suppose I can send some of my best soldiers to follow you from a distance." Queen Renneton mused when Ban and Arata brought this up to her. "But you have to be careful yourselves. It could be a trap for all we know."

"But what cause would the queen have to do so?" Ban frowned.

"I'm not sure if you know this or not, but the queen is actually not officially a queen due to the fact that Lambary was wiped off the map years ago when the king died." Queen Renneton explained. "Among the countries that claimed the land as its territories, Wecasta and the Kaidou Empire currently have the largest claims on it. My guess is that she's trying to gain back the territory through this."

"But will you hand the territory back to her if she wants it?" Arata asked.

"I'm not quite certain on that decision yet." The queen shook her head. "It will have to depend on her motives as to why she sent her daughter here and also, why wait for so long."

"How long did this happen? The country absorption, I mean." Ban asked.

"About nineteen years ago. I remember it clearly because it was around the time Arata was born. Not long before the queen was said to give birth, the entire country had already disappeared."

"Nineteen years ago…that should be when Muraku was born too." Arata frowned.

"I know." The queen nodded. "Something has been in my mind since I saw the princess. If you meet her, then you will understand why I am saying this. Muraku and Princess Mia may be related in ways which they do not know."

* * *

Mia sighed as she gathered her sling bag with all of her clothes and looked around the room. Yuko was not around as she was handing back the keys to the innkeeper. She sighed as she sat down on the bed. 'Reika, why did you leave us? I thought you were my friend.'

"Mia."

Mia lifted her head and saw that Yuko was standing at the doorway. She bowed down and lowered her head. "Forgive me your highness that I allowed Reika to leave. I have been insensitive to her feelings, which is why she left."

"No, it was the both of us who were insensitive. Her leaving was my fault as much as it was yours." Mia waved it off dismissively. "We should get going now before it gets dark. I want to see my mother as soon as possible."

"Of course." Yuko nodded with a knowing smile. "Come on."

But as they stepped out of the inn, Yuko spotted Arata, recognizing him and the person beside him as his brother as they were approaching the inn. She quickly grabbed Mia by the shoulder and pulled her away, making sure that neither man could catch a glimpse of Mia.

"Master Yuko, what's going on?" Mia asked in confusion as Yuko led her down to the edge of the forest.

"Go inside and wait for me. Prince Ban and that boy who claims to be his brother were coming to the inn. I'll go and talk to them but it is important that they do not see you just yet." Yuko explained as she led Mia to an overgrown bush and pushed her down. "Stay here. Don't worry, they can't do anything to me."

Mia nodded and Yuko went back to intercept Ban and Arata who were just approaching. She folded her arms and blocked their path. "What do you want?"

"We want to speak with Princess Mia for moment." Ban said in a leveled tone.

"Not happening." Yuko said firmly. "I have orders to protect the princess and I am not letting anyone simply talk to her."

Ban and Arata exchanged looks. Ban stepped forward and put on a non-threatening air. "We do not want to harm Princess Mia. We only want to ask as to why her mother wants to meet me."

"We have no answers to that so leave us alone." Yuko snapped, her hand falling on the hilt of her sword.

Ban and Arata became tensed at that and Arata nearly pulled out his own until Ban stopped him. He shook his head and turned back to Yuko. "Very well, we will be leaving now. Good day." He bowed and dragged Arata away from her.

Once they were a good distance away, Yuko sighed in relief and turned around as Mia came out of her hiding spot. "They are gone, Mia. We have to go now before they take it into their heads to come back."

Mia nodded and they went on their way. A little while later, Mia turned to Yuko. "Why were you afraid that they will see me? It's not like my presence is not known in Wecasta."

"It is one thing for them to know that you are here and another to know what you look like. The queen gave me strict orders that I am not to let Prince Ban or anyone related to him see you." Yuko panted as they moved quickly away from Wecasta. "But for what reason, I don't know."

Mia sighed as she kept in pace with her mentor. Sometimes, her mother's protectiveness was a good thing, but at certain times, it was confusing.


	30. Chapter 30

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"Ban, why were you in a hurry to get away?" Arata asked once they were a good distance away.

"You would have lost if you challenged her." Ban said softly. "I heard a few things about the princess on my way back. It seems that she has been busy in the Kaidou palace. That's why I don't think confronting her with a fight is a good idea right now."

"Alright, I think you're right." Arata sighed. "So we head off to where the queen of Lambary wants to meet you soon?"

"Maybe tomorrow." Ban said absentmindedly.

"What's bothering you?" Arata asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What did Queen Renneton mean when she said that Muraku and Mia may be related in ways which they do not know?" Ban said thoughtfully.

"Haruki did say that she has the same eyes as Muraku, but that's just about it." Arata frowned. "No one actually seen her face since she wears a vein to cover it."

"And yet, Queen Renneton managed to figure something about her which is related to Muraku." Ban narrowed his eyes. "I think we need to dig deeper into Lambary. There is a mystery surrounding it. And I bet that is the third fraction that Muraku was talking about, the one who is behind Bandit."

"I second that." Arata nodded in agreement.

* * *

The doctor who was watching over Yoshimitsu Kaidou sighed for the hundredth time as he checked the former king's vitals. So far, there has been no changes since he collapsed, and honestly, the doctor doubted that he would wake up at all. For an old man like him to receive a huge shock, it was no surprise that he collapsed but shocking that he had managed to survive it.

"I wonder how the king will cope if he doesn't wake up." The doctor shook his head. He knew for a fact that the current king was adopted by Yoshimitsu Kaidou and greatly adored him. Sadly, he could not say the same for the former king. In many people's eyes, it was rather obvious that Yoshimitsu Kaidou did not see Jin and by extension, Muraku, the same way they did to him.

Based on his observations, it was almost as though he saw them as tools to further his ambitions. The doctor shook his head and stared out of the window. 'And to think I still remember serving King Yamano in this very room too. The difference between the two kings is so great. King Yamano never did anything that warranted his death at the hands of rebels, but Yoshimitsu Kaidou cannot see the fault of his actions which brought chaos to the kingdom.'

A soft moan brought him out of his musing and he glanced back at his patient to see his hand twitching.

"Oh my, it looks like he will pull through this." The doctor said to himself as he headed to the door and asked the guard to send for Jin. He rushed back to his patient and checked him again. This time, he found that the man's heartbeat is steadily increasing and his eyebrows are twitching this time.

"What happened?" Jin demanded as he burst into the room with Yuno close behind him.

"It would seem that your grandfather will pull through. Congratulations, your highness." The doctor said softly.

"Thank goodness." Yuno sighed in relief as Jin heaved a sigh. "When will he be waking up?"

"I cannot say for sure." The doctor shook his head. "But I can only guess that it will be soon. Look." He gestured at his hand and eyes and they noticed the twitching. "As you can see, the twitching indicates that his mind is fighting for consciousness."

"I see. Do what you can to take care of him. I will be leaving for a while tomorrow with Yuno, so please see that he is taken care of, otherwise, you will pay with your life." Jin said stiffly.

The doctor looked slightly surprise at this but bowed. "As you wish, your highness."

Jin nodded and let out a sigh of relief. But behind the door where Hana and Catherin were waiting, the former frowned when she heard this and wondered if Jin really wants to meet the queen of Lambary.

'But then again, this is Jin that we're talking about. He'll definitely want to see the person who has been scaring his grandfather.' She silently thought to herself. 'And maybe I should just go with them and protect them just in case. Just because I'm mute now, it doesn't mean that I cannot use a bow and knife.'

She snapped back to attention when Jin and Yuno came out and silently followed them back to their room.

"You're still planning to go?" Yuno asked Jin.

"Yes." He nodded. "I cannot let the opportunity slip out of my fingers. Princess Mia may have given me a vague idea of her mother's history with grandfather, but I want to hear the whole story from her mouth."

"I understand. Nothing anyone says will change your mind then." Yuno sighed. "But has Hana agreed to come or not?"

"I'm going to ask her tonight." Jin said after a pause. "Don't tell Sendou or the girls about this. Tell them that we will be leaving for a while but they do not need to come. And don't bother to pack. I already had everything taken care of. There is no way we can go around with what we wear in here."

"Alright." Yuno nodded and offered him a small smile. "You know, I have a feeling that you don't really want Hana to come. But she would even if you tell her not to. That's why you would rather having her come along instead of waiting for her to escape from the palace and come looking for us. That would only make others think that she ran away and would not hesitate to execute her or Bandit recapturing her."

Jin nearly blushed and looked away. "It's not like that. But I admit that I haven't thought about the execution part."

"I still don't get it. Sometimes, you two look close like a real couple, but at other times, it's like she's pushing you away."

"I blame Aidara for that. She hates the Empire and me because of them." Jin muttered under her breath. "Even if she loves me, her ties to Aidara makes her hate me."

"Sounds like something out of what those wandering minstrels would sing." Yuno said wryly.

"Only they will never hear about this one." Jin shrugged with a roll of his eyes.

Yuno made an understanding face and nodded. "Right. So how do you plan to leave the palace when everyone has eyes everywhere in the palace?"

Jin lightly smiled at that. "I have a plan."

* * *

Over at a large mountain far away from the Kaidou Empire and Wecasta, Seredy tried to not show his fear at the person in front of him.

"Tell me, why it is that Bandit is suspected for the murder of Queen Yuno?" The person asked in an even tone. "Not that I'm complaining, but I want to know who is interfering with our actions."

"We have yet to clear everything up. But I can say for certain that it is not Bandit's work. Everyone was accounted for at our base during the time of the attempt assassination. And I have reason to believe that Yoshimitsu Kaidou is the one behind it, thanks to our little slave at the palace." Seredy answered, trying not to let his voice tremble.

The person nodded her head thoughtfully. "Logically, he would be the next suspect other than us." She sharpened her gaze at him. "I am having the two princes of the kingdoms come and visit. When they do, they will be bound to fight each other given their histories. And when they are done, they will be too injured and hurt to lift a finger. You and your men will step in and finish them off along with the people coming with them."

"As you wish." Seredy lowered his head.

"And one more thing. I'm sure that you know why, but I want Muraku unharmed and untouched. If anything happens to him, the responsibility will fall on you. And if the slave shows up, capture her. She still has some use and I do not want her to give away my location to Yoshimitsu Kaidou."

"Of course." Seredy bowed. "Also, there is one more thing. I have been receiving reports about a girl around Muraku's age who is in contact with him. Do you wish for her to be brought to you?"

"No." The person said after some thought. "Unless she poses a threat to us, I don't see any reason for her to be involved in this matter."

"Understood." Seredy bowed.

"Remember, I want Muraku alive and untouched. And finally, do not let that slave escape. If I know Jin Kaidou, he will be bound to bring her."

* * *

Jin stared at the writing pad in disbelief. "You mean that you will go with us."

 _"Someone has to watch your back."_ Hana wrote with a roll of her eyes. _"I don't trust you to look out for yourself well in circumstances like this. You'll definitely act on impulse. And Yuno does not know how to defend herself."_

"You don't have to put it bluntly." Jin muttered.

 _"If I don't, then you'll never know. Not a lot of people would like to be honest with you, I take it."_ Hana wrote, giving him a pointed look.

"Maybe." Jin admitted. "But what exactly made you agree to come?"

 _"I'm curious about the queen of Lambary too."_ Hana shrugged.

"Did Seredy mention anything about her when you were captured by him?" Jin asked with a frown.

Hana's face darkened at that and wrote. _"I don't like remembering my time there just so you know. But if it helps, I know that he has been receiving orders from someone outside of the Empire, Wecasta and all the other kingdoms that we know of."_

"Sorry about that." Jin flinched at the first sentence. "So there is someone higher than Seredy in Bandit?"

 _"Yes."_ Hana nodded and placed her pad on the table, indicating the end of their conversation. Jin frowned and wrapped a hand around her wrist.

"Hana, I know that you can't stand me most of the time. But can we at least act civil with each other?"

Hana only gave him a grunt and pulled her wrist out of his grip. She sat down at her bed and refused to look at him.

"I know that I did a lot of things that hurt you five years ago, but I want to make things right between us." Jin said as he sat down beside her.

Hana hesitantly glanced at him and reached for her writing pad. Jin patiently waited for her to write. Once she was done, she gave him it which said, _"Nothing can ever make it right. Even if we become a couple again, it will never work out. I'm a slave and you're the king. If word gets out, who knows what your grandfather would do you and Yuno. And I still have ties to Seredy which are impossible for me to break away from."_

Jin sighed and gave her back the pad. He folded his hands together and asked a sudden question, "But what if we leave this place after I settle things with the Queen of Lambary?"

Hana's jaw dropped as she gave him a stare that read 'Are you crazy?'

At this, Jin chuckled humourlessly and shook his head. "You were not there that day when Mia first came. I saw how much hate she had in her words and glare at me and grandfather. It was then I realized how people could easily hate grandfather and will try everything to get rid of him. I know who are Ban and Arata, contrary to what many think. Grandfather slipped about it the night of my wedding with Yuno when he got drunk. But Ban never looked at me like that during the time I knew him. It made me wonder if that was the same reason why you trust and respect him so much."

Hana managed a smile at that and wrote, _"That's Ban's personality. He never judges others for the things that they cannot help. He never saw me as an ex-slave when he saved me. He saw me as a friend."_ Hana paused and contemplated on this and turned to him with a meaningful look. _"What are you going to do with your grandfather when he wakes up?"_

"I don't know." Jin shook his head. "But back to my main question, if things turned out differently and we are both merely common people in the world, not slave and king, would you still fall in love with me?"

Hana was slightly surprised by this but Jin could tell that she was expecting this question. She bit her lip and hesitantly nodded. Jin's heart soared at her answer and grasped her hand, squeezing it. "Thank you." He whispered and kissed her cheek lightly. Hana jumped at the kiss but the corner of her lips turned up slightly. Jin pulled away and got up to the door. "I'll see you in the morning."

Once the door closed behind him, Jin let out a small sigh and allowed a small smile to grace his lips. If things between Hana and him kept up like this, he was sure that Hana will be back at his side again. But on another note, he knew that it was important to quickly wrap up everything regarding the queen of Lambary so that he can deal with the loose ends with his grandfather as soon as possible.


	31. Moving

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

The next morning, Mikhail loaded all the last minute items into the wagon and hitched his horse on to it. Muraku was saddling his as well while Vanessa and Mike were saying their goodbyes to Kageto.

"I really hope that we can come back here." Mikhail said softly to his best friend.

"Me too. But maybe you can move back here once I find a way to make Jin stop chasing me or at least, stop using you to get to me." Muraku sighed.

Mikhail let out a deep breath as he glanced at where Vanessa, Mike and Kageto were. "I think we should go over and say goodbye. I bet Kageto won't sleep well if we don't."

"You're right." Muraku chuckled and they walked over to them. Suddenly, Mike clung onto Kageto's leg and started wailing.

"Mike, what's wrong?" Kageto asked, startled.

"Don' wanna go!" He wailed, clinging tighter. Kageto grew frantic and looked at his parents for help.

"Mike, we have to go. We can come back and see Uncle Kageto when you are older." Vanessa tried to sooth him and pried his arms off Kageto's leg.

But this only made Mike wail louder and trash around in Vanessa's arms. Mikhail quickly took him from her before he could accidentally kick her.

"Mike, I know that you are unhappy, but we promise that we will come back here one day and you can see Uncle Kageto all you want." He tried to calm down his son.

"Promi'e?" Mike sniffed.

"I promise." Mikhail nodded. Mike sniffed and buried his face in his father's shirt. Mikhail sighed and rubbed his back. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright." Kageto sighed as he ran a hand on Mike's hair. "I'm going to miss him just as much as I will miss you guys."

"Us too." Vanessa and Mikhail took turns to hug him and went back to the wagon, leaving Kageto with Muraku.

"Muraku, you don't have to apologise." Kageto cut in before he could say anything. "We knew that this day will come sooner or later. But they will have no reason to go after me. They would simply assume that I went with Mikhail and his family. Besides, the only reason why Mikhail and Vanessa were targeted all the time is because they live too far away from anyone. But I live in the town, so nothing will happen to me."

"I just hope so." Muraku shook his head. "But if you really need anything, you can write to Mikhail who will pass the message to me."

"Alright." Kageto let out a huff and hugged him too. "I hope that I will see you guys again, when everyone gains some sense and leave you alone."

"Me too." Muraku nodded and pulled away. "Well, just in case, I already have someone making sure that no one from the empire or Bandit enter Machila so they won't bother you."

"Thanks for that." Kageto chuckled but straightened up. "But seriously, what kind of people did you meet in your travels? Vanessa and Mikhail had told me about your friend who will be helping you guys reach Wecasta ahead of time, but I really cannot believe it."

"You don't have to." Muraku smirked. "But as for the people whom I met in my travels, that will be another story for another time."

Kageto only shook his head as they walked over to the wagon. Vanessa and Mike were situated comfortably on a pile of straw while Mikhail was sitting at the front. Muraku wordlessly got on Snipper. Exchanging nods, they snapped their reins at the same time to make their horses move. Kageto watched on without a word, only waving at them, preventing tears from spilling out. This will not be the last time he will be seeing his friends, but it certainly felt like it when he finally turned and ran a hand across the now empty cottage. Before they left, Mikhail had passed on the ownership of the cottage and land to him in case they do come back in the future. Kageto knew how much the cottage meant to the couple so he made up his mind to keep it in good shape and never sell it to anyone. For he knew that one day, they will surely come back.

* * *

The ride out of Machila was quiet for ten minutes until Muraku broke it when he lifted his head. He spotted Reika out of the corner of his eyes and nodded at her. She nodded back and held up her flute. He nodded back and turned to Mikhail. "My friend will be nearby and she will be transporting us to Wecasta now."

"Ok." Mikhail said uncertainly. Despite all of Muraku's assurance, he was skeptic about his friend and not to mention, he was a little terrified of the idea of going through what she would put them through in order to get to Wecasta.

As though sensing his thoughts, Muraku gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, if you cannot trust her, then trust my judgement. She will get us to Wecasta safely."

"If you say so." Vanessa shrugged. Unlike Mikhail, she had no problems with Muraku's friend. If he said that she will get them to their new home safely, then she trusts her to do so. Mikhail gave her a look but sigh.

"Alright, I'll trust her on this."

"It'll get a little windy but overall, it'll be fine. But whatever you do, don't look at the trees. Just keep your eyes on the path or you'll get dizzy." Muraku smiled, thankful that his friends agreed to trust Reika.

Soon, the wind began to pick up and the scenery began to slowly change around them. Mike wanted to peak out but Vanessa held him closely to her and told him to take a nap. She wrapped her shawl closer around them while Mikhail rubbed his arms.

Muraku was the only one who was not disturbed by this, given that Reika had helped him get around several times before so he was used to it. But he soon noticed that after a few minutes the wind died down before picking up again about ten minutes later.

'This must be very tiring for her to transport all of us. No wonder it is going to take her an hour.'Muraku frowned, hoping that he can reach Wecasta in time before Ban left to see the queen. He had a bad feeling in his gut that the queen was anticipating a blood sheath in revenge against Yoshimitsu Kaidou. But why drag Ban into this, he don't know.

* * *

"Alright, we're all set to go." Ban told Ran and Hiro as he, Arata and Kazu were getting ready to saddle up and head to the meeting spot the queen told him to go.

"I don't like this. This could be a trap." Hiro shook his head.

"I know. But Queen Renneton has her men following us. So it should be fine." Ban assured them.

"Personally, I have my doubts about that." Kazu muttered. "We have basically zero information about the queen and her fallen country other than the fact it happened close to Muraku's birth."

"Which is why I'm hoping to look for him once I get back. I have a feeling that whatever that Muraku wanted to tell me the last time I saw him is related to her." Ban said as he hoisted himself on his horse with his brother and Kazu doing the same.

"Don't worry, I'll start asking around for him so that you can start going after him immediately when you come back." Hiro offered.

"Thanks." Ban nodded and snapped the reins of his horse.

"Take care of Ami for me." Kazu said to Ran.

"Don't worry. I will." Ran grinned.

"And we're off." Arata grunted as he snapped the reins of his horse.

"I hope they come back. I got a really bad feeling about this." Ran muttered.

"I'm sure that they'll be fine." Hiro shrugged. They were about to head into the house when they bumped into Ami, Asuka and Takeru.

"Where are you guys going?" Hiro asked curiously.

"We're going to visit the new neighbors down the road. They just moved in an hour ago." Ami explained.

"But I thought you should be resting?" Ran frowned and glared at the Kojou siblings.

"Don't look at us, she insisted." Asuka held up her hands defensively.

Ran sighed and exchanged glances with Hiro. "Fine, but we'll go with you."

* * *

Not long later we see the group walking up to a medium size cottage. There were two horses tied to the side of the house with the wagon empty, indicating that the occupants of the house had moved everything inside already.

"Looks like they've moved in already." Hiro pointed out.

"I know that." Ami snapped, causing him to flinch and hide behind Ran who sighed. Ever since finding out that she's pregnant, Ami has been having violent mood swings which made most of the males of the house stay clear of her when she had them.

"Look." Asuka suddenly pointed at the window where a toddler, which turned out to be Mike, waving at the window.

"I think they have a kid." Ran grinned as she waved back. Suddenly, an arm reached out and pulled him away.

"That was weird." Takeru remarked.

"Yeah." Ami nodded her head in disappointment but quickly shrugged it off. "Oh well, I suppose the family are too busy unpacking today so we can come back and greet them later when they are settled down."

There was a chorus of agreement and they left. Once the occupants of the house was sure that they were gone, Vanessa peaked out of the window and sighed in relief. "They're gone."

Mikhail let out a breath he did not know that he was holding. "I guess I forgot to check about our neighbors. Sorry for the scare."

"Well, we can't keep ourselves hidden for long. They'll find out sooner or later." Vanessa sighed as she let Mike run around. She then noticed that the door was open and frowned as she went to close it. "Did you leave the door open just now?"

"No." Mikhail shook his head as they tried to figure out how the door got open. But when Mike trudged up to them, asking where Muraku was, they realize who left the door open.

"He wouldn't, would he…"

Mikhail only groaned in answer. "Yes, he would."

* * *

Briefly after spotting Takeru's group and watched them leave, Muraku had snuck out of the cottage and followed them within listening distance but made sure that he was not seen.

"…We could go back and help them hold a housewarming party once we meet them and they have settled down."

"We can do that when Ban and the others gets back."

Muraku froze at that and listened closer.

"I'm worried though that it's a trap."

"Don't worry. Queen Renneton has her men following them. They'll keep them safe."

Muraku knew that he heard enough so he turned back and ran back to Mikhail's new cottage with him and Vanessa waiting for him.

"Let me guess, you have to go now?" Mikhail asked, noticing his friend's troubled face. One apologetic look from him was all he needed. He jerked his thumb at Snipper. "I got him fed and saddled up for you already."

"Thanks a lot…"

"Just go." Vanessa urged him. "We understand. Just remember to make it up to Mike when you get back. He was looking forward to you helping him decorate his room."

"Right." Muraku smiled wryly. He hopped on his horse and galloped off.

"I wonder…if Muraku is right though, about the whole thing being a trap." Vanessa said worriedly. "Because if it is, he may be in danger too if he tries to stop it."

"You know Muraku." Mikhail sighed. "He'll willing put his life on the line to stop innocent people from getting hurt."


	32. Setting out

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Over at the Kaidou Palace, Jin and Yuno were readying their horses while Hana and Catherin stood to the side.

"Are you sure that you don't need us to come with you?" Catherin asked.

"Yes Catherin." Yuno nodded. "I need the rest of you to stay here and take care of things here. Hana is coming with me because I need her to."

Catherin casted a questioning glare at Hana who shrugged. Even so, she did not ask why.

"Alright, we are ready to go." Jin said as he got on his horse. "Remember, I do not want anyone to follow us. And if there is anything which needs to be done, look for Advisor Ji."

Hana let out an audible sigh of relief at that. Ji was one of the better and more sensible advisors in the whole court as compared to a large majority of them. Not only that, he was close to Jin because he was his mentor. She knew that the court will be in good hands.

"Hana, get on your horse." Yuno called to her, snapping her out of her musing.

Hana nodded and quickly got on her horse. Once Yuno got on hers, Jin gestured for them to follow him and they went out of the gates. Strangely, none of the guards were present and it was quiet around the courtyard.

"Jin, where is everyone?" Yuno asked him.

"I sent them to the barracks for extra training for the day. Don't worry, while they know that I am leaving for an indefinite period around this time, they won't be able to follow us." Jin smirked.

"That's smart." Yuno shook her head.

"Come on." Jin gestured for them to follow him. They soon followed him to an outcrop not too far from the palace. Jin got off his horse and took out a few clothes from the satchel on his horse. "Here. Get changed into these."

Yuno nodded and gave one of the outfits to Hana. Jin reached into the other satchel and pulled out his own outfit. He went around the outcrop to change, giving Hana and Yuno some privacy.

As they were changing, Yuno subtly glanced at Hana who had a small smirk on her lips. She glanced at her outfit and realized that it was a simple green dress with a brown hair band. "Is there anything wrong with your dress, Hana?"

Hana shook her head as she straightened it. She glanced down at Yuno's outfit and smiled. She was wearing a nice simple turquoise dress which suited her nicely. _"You look nice."_ She wrote on her writing pad.

"Thanks." Yuno smiled back.

"Are you done yet?" Jin called from behind the outcrop.

"Yeah." Yuno called back as she placed her old clothes in her horse's satchel with Hana doing the same.

Jin soon came back wearing simple clothes like them but Hana narrowed her eyes when she recognized the outfit as the same one which Jin wore when they met. He noticed her glaring at him and offered a small smirk as he got on his horse. "Come on. It'll take us probably three days to get there so we better move quickly."

"Where are we going exactly?" Yuno asked as they started moving.

"Somewhere east of the kingdom. It is really far away from the other kingdoms though. About forty miles from here." Jin frowned as he read the map.

Hana frowned at that and glanced around. The most they can move is around fifteen miles before they have to stop for the night. That would take them longer to get there. From the looks of it, Jin and Yuno realized that too.

"We just have to travel as much as we can." Jin sighed. "Hopefully, we can reach there in time."

* * *

Back at the palace, a soldier carefully avoided the patrols of the guards as he snuck down into the dungeons, stopping at one particular one.

"Sir Kamiya." The soldier bowed. "I have news."

Sir Kamiya grunted and sat up. After failing to bring in Mia within the deadline, Jin had tossed him in the dungeons as promised. To him, it was an utter humiliation. But he knew that as soon as Yoshimitsu Kaidou wakes up, he will be freed. And he can continue his scheme which is to make Yoshimitsu Kaioud lose trust in Jin and make him the next king.

"What is it?"

"He, the queen and that little slave of theirs had left the palace this morning and headed off to an unknown destination. But they refused to have anyone following them." The soldier reported.

Sir Kamiya sat up straight at that. "And you did not follow him?"

"The soldiers who are loyal to the king had us busy the whole morning at the barracks. By the time we were done, we attempted to find the king but it was too late. He is already too far for us to find him."

"Send out a search. Follow him to where he is going and report back." Sir Kamiya ordered him. "I want a full report on that so when the king awakens, I can tell him about this."

"Of course. And one more thing. We have reason to believe that the king will awaken soon based on what the doctors say."

"That's good." Sir Kamiya bobbed his head with a smirk. "Soon, I will be free and I will expose it once and for all that King Jin is nothing but a joke."

* * *

Meanwhile, Muraku was speeding down the mountain as fast as his horse would bring him. He had a guess on where Ban was going but he knew a slightly faster way down the mountain so he should be able to catch up to him by the time he reached the foot of the mountain.

"I hope I'm not too late." He muttered. "If Ban leaves the region before I catch him, I won't be able to find him from there."

Luckily for him, he had unknowingly shot past Ban and his companions as they were taking their time to get down the mountain, given that they have to wait for Queen Renneton's men to follow them. However, because he was ignorant of this, Muraku kept on riding on, only pausing for a few minutes every hour to allow Snipper to rest and freshen up. But once he reached the foot of the mountain, he breath out a sigh of relief when he realized that Ban and the others had not arrived down at the foot yet.

"And to think that I pushed you too much." Muraku sighed apologetically and got off Snipper. Snipper only huffed and nuzzled against him. Muraku smiled at its actions and led it to a small river not too far away. "Rest up. You earned it."

As Snipper gratefully drank from the river, Muraku wandered around to get a better bearing of his surroundings. As he passed through some bushes, he found some berries which he ate. But as he went on further, he paused when he heard footsteps.

"Can't we rest here Ban?"

Muraku stiffened when he heard that familiar voice. He grabbed a branch overhead and swung himself up. As he perched on the branch, he glanced around and saw Ban, Arata and Kazu just a few meters away from Snipper. Not too far away, their soldiers were resting around.

"I suppose we can." Ban shrugged. "I'm going to take a look around."

"Do you need me to go with you?" Kazu asked.

"No." Ban shook his head. "I won't go too far."

Ban turned and trudged off in the direction where he left Snipper. Realizing this, Muraku quietly slid down and ran back to his horse. It was not long before Ban arrived at the spot that Muraku left Snipper and he tensed.

It was clear to Ban that the horse belonged to someone but no one was around. He carefully approached the horse which glanced up and snorted at him. But other than that, it did not show any actions of hostility.

"Ok. It's friendly enough. Even when the rider is not around." Ban muttered to himself as he tried to get closer but the horse suddenly bared its teeth and pawed the ground.

"Snipper is not a friendly horse when strangers get closer."

Ban nearly jumped but he recognized the voice and smiled, turning around. "I never thought that I would see you here."

Muraku nodded politely and went over to Snipper, stroking its mane to calm it down. "Trust me, I did not plan this until I heard that you were going to meet the queen of Lambary."

"So you heard about it." Ban frowned. "I have a feeling that you know more about the meeting than I do though."

"It's a trap." Muraku blurted out. "I found out that Jin also had an invitation like you and he's meeting the queen too. I believe that she's luring the both of you there so that the both of you will fight each other."

"I don't know about that. What if she isn't?" Ban asked.

"You don't know what she is capable of." Muraku retorted. "I've heard first hand of what she has done. She may be the mysterious leader of Bandit for all we know. And not to mention, she holds a huge grudge against Yoshimitsu Kaidou."

"But even so, I have to see her. I have to get answers from her." Ban said firmly. "Look, I know that you want to stop me, but even so, I know that not even you have all the answers she has to my questions."

Muraku pursed his lips as Ban began to walk back to his companions. As much as he wanted to stop him, he knew that there are still some questions regarding the queen which he wanted to know. However, since Ban did not say that he could follow, he decided to follow them from a distance.

* * *

"His highness is awake!"

This announcement rang out through the palace, creating an atmosphere of chaos as servants and guards rushed around. Only the doctor remained calm though, chiding the frantic guards and servants as they came in and out.

"Where is Jin?" Yoshimitsu croaked out.

"He left this morning, I'm afraid." The doctor told him apologetically. "No one knows where he went."

Yoshimitsu Kaioud grunted and sat up straighter. "What about Sir Kamiya?"

"He was thrown into the dungeons. I think it had something to do with being unable to catch the Lambary princess on time." The doctor mused.

"Send for him."

"I beg a pardon…"

"I said, send for him!" The former king snapped.

"As you wish." The doctor bowed and whispered something to the guards at the door. They were surprise but nodded as they rushed down to the dungeons. It was not long before Sir Kamiya came in and bowed.

"What are your orders, sire?"

"Track down Jin and bring him to me. I had enough of his insolence!" Yoshimitsu Kaidou ordered.

"As you wish. If it helps, my men are looking for him now. Once we find him, I will set out to bring him back." Sir Kamiya promised.

"You better or you will be going back into the dungeons!"


	33. Chapter 33

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Queen Kinako smirked as she looked over the hidden land of what remains of her country in the mountains from her bedroom window in her small palace. "Soon, we will be able to stand up again. And when we do, I rule all of the known regions. Call it revenge for your refusal to help us when we needed it. Instead of destroying a nation, you have created a monster nation, Yoshimitsu Kaidou."

"Mama, when are we going to make our move?" Mia asked from beside her.

"Soon, my dear." Kinako gave her a soft smile, unlike the ones she usually gave. "After I retrieve the thing that is most important to me, I will be able to extract our revenge for your father."

"The Jade Crown?"

"No." Kinako shook her head. "Something else, someone whom I wish that can be by my side, but is not."

"Mama, who is this person and how can he be more important than me?" Mia pouted.

"You'll find out soon." Kinako chuckled but became serious. "I have to leave in a few days and when I come back, I will explain everything."

"If you say so…"

"You're free to go into town, but don't leave the area, do you understand?" Kinako instructed her daughter.

"Hai." Mia said dully.

"Oh, and please be careful when you take care of Nana." Kinako reminded her as she left the room with her behind her. "I don't want to hear from the nurse of anymore accidents involving you being unable to take care of her."

"Yes, mama." Mia said guiltily, lowering her head.

Kinako paused in her steps and turned back around to face her daughter with an encouraging smile and a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's hard to take care of your child on your own. I know that better than anyone. But I know that you can be a great mother, even if Nana's father is no longer around."

"I understand, mama." Mia said quietly and headed off to her bedroom where a nurse was taking care of her two-month-old daughter, Nana. "How is she?"

"Ah, Princess Mia." The nurse bowed and handed over the baby to her. "She's asleep now but she'll probably wake up any minute now for milk."

"Thank you for taking care of her, I'll take over for now. Go and rest." Mia told the nurse who bowed and left the room. Mia, with Nana in her arms, sat on her bed and rocked her gently. "Even if your papa and grandpa cannot be here with you, mama and I will protect you. I'm sorry that I was not around for the past few days, but mommy has to take care of a few things to avenge your grandpa."

She shifted when she felt the little bundle in her arms stir and her daughter blinked her large teal eyes at her. The baby move her hand around and grabbed a lock of Mia's hair, stuffing it in her mouth.

"No, baby girl." Mia gently uncurled Nana's tiny hand and pulled out her hair from her mouth. "I'll feed you soon. But just let me make up for the time I was not around."

She sighed as she played with Nana for a short while. When she had her daughter, she never imagined that she would lose her husband to a severe case of malaria. It was by pure luck that she and Nana did not catch it.

"What am I going to do without your father?" Mia sighed as she finally fed an impatient Nana.

* * *

"Sir, I got them!" One of Sir Kamiya's men told him. Once Sir Kamiya was released, he had joined his men who filled him in on the current situation. He had told his men to continue to search for Jin and follow them if necessary until he arrived.

Sir Kamiya jerked his head up and snapped at him. "Where?"

"Two east miles from here. We should be able to catch up to them if we move now." The soldier reported. "But I overheard that they plan to keep moving until they reach the unknown lands out in the east."

"Really?" Sir Kamiya mused with a smirk. "They wouldn't go there without a reason and I intend to find out what. We'll keep on following them without being seen. Have someone send a message back to Lord Yoshimitsu Kaidou and tell him what you told me. I'm sure that he will want me to follow him anyway if he knew about this."

"Yes, sir!" The soldier saluted and ran off in the direction of the Kaidou palace.

"Now all the pieces are in place." Sir Kamiya muttered to himself. "As soon as I find out what Jin Kaidou is doing out here, my ticket to deposing him will be in my hands."

* * *

Oblivious to the fact that Sir Kamiya is secretly following them, Jin and Yuno rode on ahead while Hana lingered behind and watched the king and queen in front chat amiably whist she could not join in due to her inability to talk anymore. Deep inside, she could not help but feel jealous at that fact. She unconsciously clenched her fist and shook her head. What was the point of being jealous?

She could no longer speak, a slave of the Kaidou palace, and certainly not someone who can be compared to Yuno who had it all since a child. If anyone asked about who was best suited to be with Jin, no one would give her a second thought. But that was plain ridiculous as Yuno held no romantic feelings for Jin and vice versa.

'It's just silly thinking on my part.' She told herself. 'But truth to be told, I envy a lot of things about Yuno, even if she is the only one who would stand up for me despite my status. Seredy must have really brainwashed me badly even if I don't feel it.'

"Hey Hana!" Yuno called out to her, snapping her out of her dark thoughts. "We're about to stop of lunch."

Hana nodded at her and quickened her horse's pace to catch up with them. But as she approached them, she could not help but feel that there was someone spying on them.

'Don't tell me it's Seredy and Bandit…No, it can't be. They would have attacked us a long time ago. But who in the world could be following us?'

* * *

Soon, Jin and his companions had set up a small picnic by a small lake which shimmered under the afternoon sun. Hana greedily scooped up a handful of water and slurped it up.

"Hana, slow down or you'll chock. It's not like the water is going to disappear." Jin stated as he knelt down beside her and drank from it too.

Hana only offered him a glare that was unreadable to Jin and went back to the picnic to help Yuno set up. Jin began to wonder if he said anything wrong when Yuno joined his side and gave him a knowing smile.

"I think she hates it that you hover over her like a little girl." Yuno pointed out.

"No, I don't." Jin said stiffly.

"Not in her opinion." Yuno said mildly. "You know how sensitive she is because of what she went through. I doubt that she wants you to be close to her for the time being."

"I know that." Jin said crossly. "I really can't understand where we stand in our relationship, if you can call it that. Most of the time, she'll push me away and in others, she'll simply not want to talk to but she'll only listen to what I say."

"I think she simply does not want the memories to be fresh in her mind. Being with you probably brings up the memories of what Seredy did to her." Yuno said softly. This was as far as the truth she can tell him. It would be up to Hana to tell him the full truth of what happened to her and her reasons for not wanting to open up to Jin.

Jin gave her a strange look at that. "Did she tell you anything about it?"

"Yes. But it is not my place to say it." Yuno shook her head. "But I'm sure that she'll tell you in her own time. You just need to give her some space instead of constantly trying to push her to get back together with you."

After a moment of thought, Jin slowly nodded. "Alright."

Yuno smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go back. We have to keep moving."

Jin nodded in agreement and followed her to the temporary picnic. "You're right. And when we are done there, I hope that I can get the answers that I want."

* * *

Sir Kamiya clenched his fist and smirked with joy as he returned to his men from his brief scouting mission on Jin and Yuno. What he heard between them gave him all that he needed to know and one of the keys to his victory.

"Sir, is everything alright?" One of his men asked him.

"Fine, everything is fine." Sir Kamiya crackled in laughter, worrying his men about his sanity.

"Sir, they'll hear you." His men told him anxiously.

"Who cares!?" Sir Kamiya bellowed. "They can hears us for all I care but in the end, I will triumph over Jin Kaidou!"

Now his men were scared of him and were worried that their commander had gone crazy.

"We got to do something about it." Man No.1 whispered fearfully as they clustered far away from their commander. "Sir Kamiya's brain must have been damaged either during his time in the dungeons or when he was fighting that so-called princess."

"But what should we do? We can't knock him out and bring him back. Lord Kaidou will be furious." Man No.2 whispered back. The group burst out in to flurries of whispers until Man No.1 stood up.

"Enough! We aren't getting anywhere like this." He said frustratedly.

"He is right."

All of the men jumped and unsheathed their swords at the intruder of their conversation. "Advisor Seredy!"

Seredy smirked and went over to them. "I have a solution to your problems."

"And why should we listen to you?" One man asked skeptically.

"If I say that I can give all of you a way out of his command and away from the Empire, will you take it?"


	34. Chapter 34

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

 _A few days later…_

"We're approaching the meeting spot." Arata declared after reading the map. "Captain, you can wait with your men over here in case we run into trouble."

"With our track record, I doubt that we wouldn't need it." Kazu muttered.

"We'll keep on alert here." The captain bowed. "If you need any help, don't hesitate to call for us."

"Don't worry, we will." Ban promised as he and Kazu followed Arata as he led them to the meeting spot.

"I think we're early." He noted, seeing as no one was in the clearing.

"Wait." Ban grasped his brother's shoulder. As soon as he did that, the trees began to shift and while they were distracted by this, they did not notice someone approaching them until she was a few meters away.

Kazu was the first one to spot her and jumped, pulling out his sword. "Who are you?"

"Lower your sword." Yuko ordered him with a wave of her hand. "I was instructed to bring you to my queen."

"I thought we were going to meet her right here." Ban frowned.

"I am afraid that certain circumstances prevents her highness from using the original meeting place. But I can assure you that you may bring your escorts along with you." Yuko said monotonously.

Ban, Kazu and Arata exchanged looks. Kazu and Arata were about to call for the soldiers when Ban stopped them and turned to face Yuko.

"Wait, I refuse to follow you unless the queen herself shows up here and now in accordance to what we agreed."

"My queen did not agree anything with you." Yuko replied stiffly.

"Yes, we had an indirect agreement the moment you passed on her message to us. We will come here to listen to what she has to say about Yoshimitsu Kaidou and his weakness. And we have fulfilled our part of the deal by coming here. If she does not fulfil her part and show up here, we will leave right now and consider it a waste of our time."

Yuko leveled a careful glare against him but was inwardly conflicted on the best course of action. Finally she decided to bring this to the queen herself. "Fine, I will bring your wishes to my queen."

Ban smiled to himself, knowing that he had his way. "Thank you."

"You sure have a way with persuading people." Kazu remarked drily once Yuko was out of sight.

"What can I say?" Ban shrugged. "If this is indeed a trap like Muraku said, I need to take precaution and have certain things under my terms."

"But will it be enough?" Arata frowned.

"Time will tell. Arata, Kazu, I want the both of you to let me do the talking. But it'll be best that we get ready to run when needed." Ban advised them.

"That won't be necessary."

Ban and the others jerked their heads up and saw Queen Kinako approaching them. She wore dark blue robes and her half of her dark hair was piled on top of her head, adorned with various silver and gold hair accessories, while the rest was flowing down her back. She approached them further with a small smile. "Kuriko said that you wished to see me here."

"Yes. And I don't want to waste any more time than we already have." Ban said bluntly. "I know that you wanted to see me about our mutual enemy, Yoshimitsu Kaidou."

"Of course, but as Kuriko said, due to unforeseen…circumstances, I cannot talk here." Queen Kinako said smoothly.

"But if you don't talk now, we will leave." Ban said, preparing to head back to the captain.

"I'm afraid that you are in no position to make that threat." Queen Kinako warned him. "I know that you want revenge for your father, just as much as I want revenge for my husband."

"I wouldn't use the word 'revenge'." Ban said in a low tone and turned to his companions. "We're leaving."

Queen Kinako's smile fell and she scowled. "You're too much of a pacifist like your father. Well, if you wish to just walk away like that, I won't stop you. But, I'm sure that your little slave friend would be disappointed to not see you here."

That halted them in their steps and Ban turned around to glare at her. "So Muraku was right. We are walking into a trap."

"Indeed. If you would only come with me, I would not have to use your friend's life to threaten you." The queen smirked. "But I will assure you that if you come with me and do as I say, she will not be harmed."

"Ban, we shouldn't listen to her." Kazu whispered.

"But if we don't Hana will be killed." Arata hissed.

"We have no choice." Ban sighed. "But follow my lead." Turning to the queen, he spoke clearly. "Alright, we'll go with you. But on the condition that you will not hurt Hana!"

"Of course. Unlike Yoshimitsu Kaidou, I _will_ keep my word." Queen Kinako smirked.

"…Lead the way."

Queen Kinako's smirk grew as she spun around and headed to the area she appointed for Jin to arrive.

A little way behind them, Muraku frowned and quietly followed them. He knew it was a bad idea to simply let Ban come to this meeting and he should have tried harder to persuade him out of it. But strangely, the queen was not surprise at all to hear his name and his involvement in trying to talk Ban out of the meeting. Then again, she was able to predict the future so she would not be surprise. However, there was something about the queen that was unsettling to him. He had not forgotten about the fact that the queen has a daughter who looks like his twin…

He gasped and faltered in his steps as realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

 _"…The records which I read from did not say anything about what happened to her, but I do remember that she had twins before she disappeared. The entire country was then absorbed by other kingdoms."_

Yes, he had told Mikhail that. But the reality had hit him hard.

'The queen is said to have twins. But up until now, we have only heard about her daughter, Princess Mia. There's no way for it to be true…' He thought tiredly as he fell against a tree. Unbeknown to him, Yuko was watching him and she knew who he was.

'He already knows. This should make the queen's explanation easier.' She thought to herself. She carefully approached him from behind and knocked him out with a swift chop to the back. She carried him over her shoulder and headed over to the meeting spot.

However, unlike what she thought, Muraku was only barely conscious and subtly blew the whistle Reika gave to him before he lost conscious.

* * *

Far away in Machila, Reika jerked her head up when she heard the whistling of the whistle she gave Muraku.

"That was fast. I didn't think it would take him so long to get into trouble." She sighed to herself. At her right, one of the kittens of the cat she adopted recently meowed and rubbed against her leg. She smiled and petted it. "Sorry, but I have to leave for a while. Tell Mama Cat that I left some food for all of you at your home. It should last you all for a while."

The kitten meowed back and ran back to its home to relay Reika's message to its mother. Reika glanced around and went to a clearing with her flute in her hands. She closed her eyes to focus on the whistle's melody and mimicked the melody on her flute. The wind picked up and the moment it died down, she was gone.

* * *

Yuko paused in her steps when she felt the wind picking up. She carefully set down Muraku and noticed the whistle in his hands. She frowned and glanced around. "Reika. She's here." She looked at the whistle again and frowned at Muraku's unconscious form. "She must know him."

"That's right, Master Kuriko." Reika whispered as she stepped out.

Yuko straightened up and slowly turned to face her. "Reika."

"What are you going to do to him?" Reika asked fearfully.

"I am only going to bring him to my queen." Yuko said after a short pause. "Why did you run away?"

Reika's lips trembled and took a step back. "I heard about everything from Muraku. What the queen wants is wrong. Can't you see that?"

"I know, but what the queen orders cannot be disobeyed." Yuko replied evenly but anyone can see in her eyes that she did not like the situation either one bit.

"Please, Master Kuriko." Reika begged. "Muraku's friends are on both sides. If you don't want to stop them for my sake then do it for his. I know, Muraku is someone important to the queen, that's why you need to take care and protect him. But how can you protect him if the queen hurts those close to him?"

"What the queen intends to do with them will no longer be a concern of his." Yuko said nonchalantly. "Especially since he has more people who will be close to him after this."

"What?!" Reika cried in bewilderment.

Yuko did not answer but held up her sword at her. "Reika, you are one of my best students and I don't want to fight you. But if you refuse to leave, I will be forced to make you."

"Reika…go." Muraku said horsely as he tried to push himself up. Yuko and Reika jumped as they did not notice him regaining conscious. "Go and stop Jin."

"Reika, I'm giving you one change to leave." Yuko spoke up. "I can't stop you from interfering with the queen's meeting, but I will stop you if you try to sprint Muraku away."

Reika shifted her glance from Yuko to Muraku who nodded. She nodded back and sprinted off in the direction where Queen Kinako brought Ban, Arata and Kazu.

"Why did you let her go?" Muraku asked her as she helped him up.

"She like a sister to me since I started to train her." Yuko shrugged. "If anything I would avoid confronting her. Come on. I have to get you back to the palace."

"What is going to happen to Jin?" He asked her.

"Probably executed publically if he survives the queen's first wave of assault." Yuko said, not looking at him. "There's nothing you can do to stop her. She's lived on revenge for too long to stop."

"No!" Muraku pushed her off unexpectedly, catching her off guard and ran off in the direction Reika had ran off to.

"Muraku!" Yuko cried as she ran after him too. But Muraku paid her no heed and continued running. She groaned and halted in her tracks at a certain point. "I can't go any further from here. I have to let Seredy and Queen Kinako be the ones to bring him back."


	35. Revelations

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **Gwyneth: Thanks for the suggestions for the scenario. I'll try to incorporate them into the story.**

* * *

"We're here." Jin announced as he, Yuno and Hana approached the meeting spot.

"At last." Yuno breathe out in relief and gave Jin a comforting smile. "Now you can get the answers you want."

Hana on the other hand frowned. Something was not right here and she tensed in anticipation in case she needed to sprint them out of trouble. Her suspicions were proven correct when they stepped into the clearing and were taken aback when they saw Ban, Arata and Kazu.

"What are you doing here?!" Jin roared as he pulled out his sword.

"You have to leave, this is a trap!" Ban tried to tell him but Jin refused to listen and ran at him. As such, Ban was forced to draw his sword out to defend himself.

"Jin, stop!" Yuno cried out and wanted to rush over to him, but Hana grabbed her hand and shook her head. This surprised Arata and Kazu for not only were they seeing their lost friend for the first time in five years, this was the first time they were seeing the queen of the Kaidou Empire. If they were to be honest, she doesn't fit the description of someone who would be affiliated with the empire. Arata and Kazu exchanged worried glances and back to Ban.

"I'm going to get the captain and his men. The queen didn't say that we can't do that. But watch out for Hana all the same." Kazu whispered to the younger man who nodded.

"Go and hurry back." Arata urged him while keeping an eye on his brother, ready to step in if necessary.

"Hana, we have to stop him." Yuno tried to struggle out of Hana's grip.

But Hana shook her head and quickly signed, 'If we step in, it'll only put us in harm's way. Jin is not going to listen to us any time soon. Also, he said that it is a trap. If we do step in, we'll only get caught in it.'

"Hana, who's side are you on!?" Yuno burst out.

'No one's.' Hana signed back with a slightly irritated frown. 'But that does not mean that I'm going to let you get hurt. Jin and Ban are on par, they won't be able to hurt each other.'

Arata observed them for a moment and flicked his eyes back to Jin and Ban. Despite not able to understand what Hana was signing, he could tell that she was trying to prevent the young queen from stepping into the fight which relieved him that he did not have to worry about her getting hurt. There was something about her that made her stand out of everyone in the Empire and it made him unable to hate her as he hated everyone who was part of the Empire save Hana.

"Sir!" The captain called out as he and his men followed Kazu into the clearing. Yuno and Hana's eyes became wide as they stepped back only to be pushed aside roughly by the men they recognized as Sir Kamiya's men.

"That's our cue. Charge!"

"What?!" Yuno cried out in shock. "What is going on here!?"

"I think I can answer that." Seredy smirked as he stepped out with a small dagger attached to his belt. Yuno and Hana bolted up and stumbled back to put some distance between them.

"Seredy!" Yuno hissed. "What is going on? Where is Sir Kamiya?"

"He's dead. What else?" Seredy smirked, taking pleasure in the horrified looks of the two ladies.

"You killed him?!"

"No, his men did. They were never as loyal to him as he thought. But given how insane he was, he had it coming." Seredy said nonchalantly.

"What are you planning on?" Yuno demanded.

"Nothing. But my queen will have the final say." Seredy smirked and vanished.

"Wait!" Yuno tried to chance after him but Hana held her back. When Yuno turned to give her a questioning glare, Hana pointed at Ban and Jin who were still dueling but it was more of a one-sided fight on Jin's side as Ban did not retaliate every time Jin attacked but instead defended himself. In fact, Jin was so absorbed by the duel that the surrounding scuffle between Sir Kamiya's men and Queen Renneton's men.

Yuno sighed in exasperation and could feel the same from Hana. "When will he stop and see what's happening around him!?"

Hana had no answer to that but she suddenly pulled her down just as the dagger which Seredy had a few moments ago flew over their heads and implanted itself into the trunk of the tree behind them. Hana frowned and pulled it out, glaring at the direction it came from. But upon closer inspection, there was no one to be seen. She glanced at it for a few seconds and made up her mind. She pulled Yuno closer and started to pull her away.

"Hana, what about Jin?" Yuno asked worriedly. Hana merely nodded at the direction Reika and Muraku were coming and she jumped. "Is that…"

Hana nodded and gestured Muraku and then at Jin. Yuno got the message and allowed Hana to guide her away from the fighting, occasionally fighting off someone with the dagger she 'acquired' from Seredy.

* * *

"We're too late." Muraku berated himself when he caught up with Reika in time to be met with the scene of Queen Renneton's men clashing with Sir Kamiya's men, Ban and Jin's duel and Arata and Kazu trying to get their men to pull back in vain. But at the guilt ridden look of Reika's face, he clamped his mouth shut and pressed his lips in a determined line as he scanned the surroundings.

"Reika, I need you to get those two and the Wecastian soldiers away." Muraku said as he turned to her.

"Me?" Reika pointed at herself in disbelief. "But I was the one who started this…"

"So this is your chance to correct it." Muraku cut in. "I'm going to try and get Jin to stop. Once I'm in there, use your flute to separate everyone so that the Wecastian soldiers, Arata, Ban and their friend can get away. I'll lure the queen out and convince her to let Jin, Yuno and Hana go."

"What makes you think that she's here and that she'll listen to you?" Reika cocked her head curiously.

"Something just tells me that she will." Muraku half lied and jumped down into the fray, avoiding a sword or spear occasionally and blocked blows which cannot be dodged with his sword. Not too long later, Reika too jumped into the fray, brandishing her jian sword with her flute in her free hand.

"Jin, stop this pointless fight!" Muraku yelled as he got closer and thrusted his sword in the middle of the fight to break them up.

Jin snapped his head up and glared at him. "Traitor!" He hissed.

"Look around you!" Muraku waved his hand around him to the fighting that was still going on around them, ignoring Jin's accusations. "Is this going to help? If you kill Ban, you'll only drag yourself deeper than you can climb out. You're letting your anger control you which only makes you weak!"

"Shut up!" Jin shouted as he swung down his sword down at him only for Muraku to avoid it with a side step. "You left me! And for years I had to cope with grandfather's mental abuse! You don't know what it's like to have all sense of integrity and kindness pulled away from you. The only people who kept me sane were Yuno and Hana!"

"You had the chance to leave too!" Muraku shot back. "You were too much of a coward to leave because you could not let go of your status as prince and king!"

Jin froze at his words so Muraku took this chance to disarm him. At the same time, roots shot out from the ground everywhere, carrying the Wecastian soldiers, Ban, Arata and Kazu away from the scene while trapping Sir Kamiya's men, preventing them from following them.

"No!" Jin tried to rush after them but Muraku stopped him with his sword by holding it out in front of him.

"Jin, can't you see that you are only being used by Yoshimitsu Kaidou and the queen of Lambary?" Muraku asked softly as Yuno and Hana carefully approached them.

"Jin, please." Yuno begged him. "There's no point in staying here if this is really a trap. We should leave while we can."

Hana did not give any answer, but one can see that she agreed with Yuno. She tugged on his arm and shook her head, giving him a meaningful look while placing his hand above her heart. 'You told me that you'll prove that the Jin I love is still there. Don't let everyone else dictate who you should be but only you alone.'

"How touching." Queen Kinako sneered as she came into sight with Seredy by her side. "The king needs his brother, wife and lover to calm down since he cannot do so himself."

"You!" Muraku jumped. "What do you want with us?"

"Nothing much, only revenge." Queen Kinako smirked. "I have a score to settle with Yoshimitsu Kaidou. So why not strike at the very thing which will bring him down, his heir."

"Yoshimitsu Kaidou does not care much for Jin. What makes you think that he'll suffer because of Jin's death?" Yuno demanded, much to Jin's shock.

"Ah, you foolish, naïve girl." Queen Kinako sighed and smirked at them. "Thanks to Seredy's surveillance and what I know from the time that fool served under us, I have come to realize one thing. Yoshimitsu Kaidou only cares about the perfect heir and his empire. Take that away and he will find someone else to mold into it. Unfortunately, because of his declining health, he cannot afford to find a replacement. That is why he cannot afford to lose you or his entire empire will fall. Muraku was taken in with the same intention, but only to serve as a replacement if something happens to Jin. Unfortunately, he miscalculated one thing and that is Muraku's heart."

Jin's eyes became wide in shock as he stumbled backwards, only to be steadied b Hana. "No…It can't be…"

"Now that I have explained everything, Seredy." The queen snapped her fingers.

"As you wish." Seredy smirked and snapped his fingers. Instantly, Muraku, Jin, Yuno and Hana were surrounded by Bandit.

"I have to admit, it was smart of you to have your wild friend bring the Wecastian soldiers away, Muraku." Queen Kinako remarked. Muraku frowned but he could tell that the queen was sincere in her compliment. "But I know that you already know who you are. Stop fighting the truth and return to me."

"What is she talking about?" Yuno asked with a confuse frown. Muraku could only squeeze his eyes shut as he fell down on all fours, unable to answer.

"Of course you would never know this. But as the rumors go, when my husband died, I had two children, twins, not one child like many thought. You have already met one twin days ago, my daughter, Mia. And for the other twin, he was always with you, Jin Kaidou."

Jin jerked his head up and stared at Muraku disbelievingly. "No. Not you…"

"Yes, my other twin child, my firstborn, is right in front of you. My son whom I sent all those years ago to Aradia in order to complete my revenge plan, Muraku!"

* * *

 **Congrats to yuuki1200 for guessing this correctly (or at least letting me know that you know). PS. You know what I'm referring to.**


	36. Calming down (or not)

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Jin stared at Muraku with both hateful and sad eyes. "Muraku…did you know?"

"Not until just now." Muraku cracked out.

"Hmph, I don't care how long you've known. Come back to me Muraku. I want you by my side when I get my revenge on Yoshimtisu Kaidou." The queen extended her hand. Behind her, Reika was creeping over to her with her sword in her hands but stopped when Muraku lifted his head and shook his head subtly, gesturing towards Jin and the girls. Reika nodded and went back into the shadows.

"…If I agree to go to you, you have to spare Jin and the girls." Muraku told his birth mother.

"No can do." Queen Kinako scowled. "I'm not giving you a choice on this."

"What kind of a mother are you!?" Yuno demanded. "You sent your own son away to be used as a tool for revenge and when you want him back, you won't fulfil his only request!"

"Do you think that it was easy for me to send him away!?" Queen Kinako shot back fiercely. "I would never have sent him away if it meant that he would be in danger. Thankfully, Yoshimitsu Kaidou was too engross with molding his other grandson into the perfect heir that he never recognized him. As for his request, I cannot fulfil it because it will cost me my one and only chance at revenge at Yoshimtisu Kaidou and I will never be satisfied until he watches all of his plans and schemes crumble before he dies!"

Yuno and Hana could only shake their heads in disgust while Jin glared at Muraku. Muraku on the other hand, stood firm. "If you don't want to comply, fine. I'll just leave now since you already have Mia to keep you company."

"Like I said, I'm not giving a choice on this matter." Queen Kinako said in a low voice and flicked her arm in a random direction only for Reika to howl in pain and fall out of her hiding spot with a knife prodding out of her chest and what remained of her flute in her hands.

"Reika!" Muraku rushed to her side and pulled out the knife. Upon closer inspection, the flute was damaged due to the knife and it was not imbedded deeply in her and missed her heart. But he can still tell that it will be dangerous if she did not receive help in time.

"Did you really think that you can hide from me?" Queen Kinako smirked at her. "I knew that you would come back here the moment you sent the Wecastian soldiers away. Without your flute, there is no way you can help them escape."

"No." Reika groaned as Muraku steadied her and pressed a section of her cloak at it. "I don't think you actually know this, but the key is not the flute."

"What?" Queen Kinako frowned.

Reika responded by raising two fingers to her lips and whistled out a small tune. Almost immediately, the wind began to pick up and blew away Bandit and Seredy. Even Queen Kinako had trouble staying on her feet.

"Come on." Muraku supported Reika and pulled Jin's hand away, with Yuno and Hana following behind them.

When the wind died down, they were already gone from the clearing. Queen Kinako roared and turned to Seredy. "Send your men out to find them! They could not have gotten far!"

"A-as you wish." Seredy bowed and quickly left with his men before they could incur the wrath of an angry Queen Kinako.

* * *

As soon as Muraku deemed that it was safe, he stopped and allowed Reika to sink onto the ground, leaning against a tree.

"You never said that the melody of your tunes were the key in all this transportation business." Muraku panted out with a small grin as he checked her injuries.

"You never asked. By the way, not everyone can do it. It took me years just to be able to whistle out that tune without any help of a flute. I only use it to stabilize the tunes. But I like to make others into thinking that it is what makes the teleportation happen so that they won't be able to find out the truth." Reika groaned out. Hana dropped beside her and motioned for Muraku to let her take over. Muraku nodded and turned to Yuno and Jin. The former was trying to talk to the latter but he kept on ignoring her in favor of glaring at him.

Hana flicked her eyes at him and signed, _'Give him some time. He has a lot to take in.'_

Muraku signed but relented. "Alright."

"By the way, the queen will find us sooner or later even if we can move." Reika forced out. "Are you sure that you can talk her out of killing that guy?"

"I'm not sure anymore." Muraku admitted. "She's a psychopath. She doesn't care about anything other than revenge."

"That may not be entirely true." Yuno said, coming up to them. "I can tell that she does care about you. And I only saw Mia once but the way she was so happy told me that her mother loves her very much and she supports her ambitions wholeheartedly and willingly."

"But she has a very funny way of showing it." Muraku sighed.

"Maybe you should show that you want to support her ambitions." Reika suggests out of the blue.

"What?" Muraku shot her an incredulous look. "Why would I want to do that!?"

"It's what you told me when we first met." Reika reminded him with a deadpan look. She cleared her throat and mimicked Muraku's voice. "I want to stop Yoshimitsu Kaidou and bring him to justice."

"Revenge and justice are two different things." Yuno explained patiently, much to Muraku's relief.

Reika blinked in surprise. "They're not the same?"

"No." Yuno and Muraku shook their heads.

Hana paused in thought and once she was done treating Reika, she turned to Muraku. _'I think you should do as what she said. If you do, then she may be more willing to let us go.'_

"I think she has a point." Yuno nodded in agreement. "She may have been too angry just now to listen to you. You should also explain why and how important Jin is to you. Maybe she'll throw away the whole idea of revenge."

There was a moment of silence as Muraku mulled over their words. Finally he nodded. "It may be worth the try." He glanced around and noticed that Jin was not around. "Where's Jin?"

Yuno gave him a sad smile at that. "He blew me off and stormed off towards the lake we passed by just now. I think he is overwhelmed more by the fact that Yoshimitsu Kaidou does not care one bit for him than that the queen who is sworn to kill him and his grandfather is your mother."

 _'He knew.'_ Hana signed with a sad look. _'He knew all along but the way the queen told him hit him hard. I told him the same thing over and over but he didn't take it to heart.'_

"You only said what was on the surface. The queen told him the full reason why." Muraku said softly. "I'm going to try to talk to him."

He was about to get up when Hana placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

 _'Wait, let me go. He'll listen to me more than he would to you right now. Don't worry, once he calms down, I'm sure that he'll want to talk to you again.'_

"Are you sure?"

Hana nodded and signed at Yuno. _'If Bandit and the queen arrives before we get back, run away and don't look for us. But shout as loud as you can to let us know.'_

Yuno did not like the idea but nodded nevertheless. Hana got up and went over to the spot Yuno said that Jin stormed off to. She soon came across him throwing stones into the lake with a frustrated growl. Hana simply sat down at the spot beside him and waited for him to notice her.

"Grandfather…why did you betray me!?" Jin yelled as he threw another stone into the lake. "You took me in only to turn me into your puppet! You never cared for me…" He trailed off when he finally noticed Hana. "When did you get here?"

 _'Just now.'_ She signed. _'I figured that you'll want to blow off some steam so I told the others to leave you alone for the time being.'_

Jin grunted and sat down beside her. "I don't know what I should do now or whether I should go back to the palace."

Hana let out a small hum and stared at the lake. _'It's so beautiful here.'_

"I guess." Jin grunted.

 _'Stop letting your worries prevent you from seeing the beauty of this area.'_ Hana chided softly. _'It may calm your mind.'_

"Are you speaking from experience?" Jin frowned at her. At her nod, he glanced at her and saw the reminiscing smile on her face and deduced that she was referring to her time when she was with Aidara.

 _'Jin, I know that I'm pushing you away and it's hurting you. But it's not because I hate you.'_ Hana suddenly signed. _'In fact, I just realized that I still love you even after all these years and I was afraid to face it because of what I am now. But at the same time, I don't want to repeat the same mistakes we did five years ago. Even though when you found out about my affiliations with Aidara, you still said that you love me. But that only covered the problem instead of solving it. We still hated each other for our positions under the surface. That's why things went downhill and it became worse when Bandit captured me. So until we can clear up our feelings, let's just stay friends.'_

"Friends?" Jin frowned.

 _'Yeah. But don't worry, it won't be forever.'_ Hana smiled cheerily at him. ' _I just need time to sort out my feelings. But maybe one day when we don't have to worry about your grandfather or the Lambary queen, then I'll be willing to be back by your side for good this time. And no matter what decision you make, I'll be behind you all the way because I know that you are not your grandfather's puppet but Jin Kaidou, your own person.'_

"…Thank you Hana." Jin whispered tearfully and pulled her into a hug. Unlike many times before, Hana slowly returned the hug and rested her head on his shoulders.

"Hana! Jin! Run!"

The both of them pulled away and jumped on their feet. "Yuno!" Jin jumped to his feet.

Hana however grabbed his hand. _'I told Yuno to yell for us if Bandit appear while they get away. We'll go in a separate direction and catch up with them so that Bandit can't catch all of us at once. Come on.'_ She quickly signed.

"Good point." Jin reluctantly admitted. "Come on. We better put some distance before they come here."

Hana nodded and allowed Jin to guide her through the forest while hoping that Seredy would not find them.


	37. Reconcilation

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **Ok, I'm fed up of unable to think up of suitable titles for the chapters so I won't be putting them unless I can think of something or my readers give me suggestions through reviews. Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"They could not have gotten far. Search for them!" Seredy ordered his men to spread out among the area where they had originally spotted Muraku. But he and his companions had managed to escape at the last minute. "But Jin Kaidou and that slave could not be with them or Queen Yuno would not had called for them to run away." He mused with a smirk. "If I can get them, I can lure him out."

"Sir, we have not found Jin Kaidou or the slave, but our men had spotted Muraku and his two companions heading west." One of his men reported to him.

"Good, go after them." He told him. "But send a squadron to continue finding Jin Kaidou and the slave."

"Yes sir!" The soldier saluted and went off to find the others to begin the chase.

* * *

"We should be close." Reika murmured on Muraku's shoulder as he and Yuno ran away from Bandit with Reika on his shoulder. "Turn right here."

"Where exactly are we going?" Yuno panted out.

"To find Ban!" Muraku answered back. "He has Queen Renneton's men with him. They can help us fight off Bandit!"

"Good plan. But how can we find them?!"

"Reika knows where they are!"

"Turn again here!" Reika told him. Muraku skidded to a halt and turned right again with Yuno following closely behind. "They're not far. Just keep going straight."

"Alright."

"Stop right there!"

"Go ahead!" Muraku urged Yuno. "Get help."

"Right!" Yuno nodded and ran ahead while Muraku slowed down so that Bandit can purposely catch up to them.

"We got you!" Bandit cried out as they surrounded Muraku and Reika. The leader blinked however when he noticed that Yuno was not with them. "Where's Queen Yuno!?"

"She's not with us." Muraku said nonchalantly.

"No matter. All that matters is that we bring Muraku back and it will spare us the wrath of the queen." One of them said to the leader.

"Fine." The leader begrudgingly nodded and they closed in on them.

"Get away from them!" Ban cried as he and Kazu burst into the area, fighting off the Bandits away.

"Tsk, retreat!" The leader called out, intending to come back with reinforcements. The Bandits soon backed away and ran off. Neither Ban nor Kazu moved until they were sure that they were alone. But once the last of Bandit were far away, they turned to Muraku.

"Muraku, Queen Yuno told us what happened." Ban said as he took Reika off his back, relieving him for the moment. "Come on, they'll be back soon with more reinforcements. We have to get away from here."

Muraku tersely nodded and followed them to the spot where the rest of the soldiers and Arata were waiting with Yuno.

"Muraku." Yuno sighed in relief but she became worried. "Where are Jin and Hana? I know I told them to run, but I'm still worried about them."

"They'll be fine. Knowing Hana, she probably got them to hide in a tree." Ban said with a knowing smile.

Arata silently snorted while Kazu chuckled softly at that. The former turned to Yuno and eyed her critically. "You know, for someone who is part of the Empire, you're not a bad person."

"Arata." Ban groaned, slapping his head, but mindful of Reika as she had fallen unconscious now on his back. Of course, Arata did not notice this and Yuno sweatdropped at his bluntness.

"Not everyone in the Empire is necessarily happy with the current ruling body." Yuno spoke slowly as they started to move on. "I was married to Jin only to seal an alliance agreement between Odela and the Empire. It was the only way my father could think of to prevent Lord Kaidou from invading our land. In fact, I know a lot of staff in the palace who are unhappy with his ruthless ways, and in some ways, Jin too, since he takes after him in his methods of ruling. But at the same time, Jin is changing for the better and does try to help the people in the loopholes his grandfather cannot counter."

"But why didn't he just go against his grandfather completely?" Arata grumbled.

"It's not that simple. The court still favors Lord Yoshimitsu's ideals so if Jin was to rule against him, he'll have the entire court against him and they can call a coup to reinstall Lord Yoshimitsu." Yuno told him sadly. "The only way to have Lord Yoshitmisu off the court entirely is death. Once he dies, the court will have no choice but to obey Jin. That's why the queen wanted to strike now because of his declining health. The last time he collapsed, it was because his heart failed him but from what I gathered about Sir Kamiya's men's appearance, he is probably awake and sent Sir Kamiya after us."

"But if that's so, where is Sir Kamiya?" Ban frowned in confusion.

Yuno tensed up and let out a shaky breathe. "Seredy told Hana and me…he's dead. His own men betrayed him and killed him because they thought that he was going insane. I don't know what made him insane, but his men saw it as a threat enough to want to kill him."

Kazu and Arata had shock looks on their faces while Ban looked grim. "I guess his schemes ended with him being the victim of his own scheme."

"What do you mean by that?" Kazu frowned.

"Sir Kamiya is a loyal follower of Lord Yoshimitsu and I remember that he was once promised that if Jin failed him as king, he will install Sir Kamiya as king instead." Yuno spoke up, slowly understanding what Ban was getting.

"Indeed. After his attempt assault on Vanessa at Machila, I have been doing some digging on him and found out through various sources that he has been plotting to find something that can discredit Jin in Yoshimitsu Kaidou's eyes so that he can become king." Ban said gravely. "I believe that drove him to the brink of insanity since he could not find anything that he can use against Jin yet and Yoshimitsu Kaidou's health is declining rapidly."

"Wow, who would have thought…" Arata trailed off and suddenly looked around. "Wait, where's Muraku!?"

Ban jerked around and realization dawned on his face. "He's gone…he must have gone back to find Jin and Hana!"

* * *

"I think we lost them." One of Bandit groaned.

"Well? We have to keep looking or Queen Kinako will have our heads!" The leader said impatiently. "Go on! Search the area again. You two, go on ahead and scout if they slipped past us."

"Sir!" They saluted and ran off.

"The rest of you, follow me!" The leader barked and ran off in another direction. Once the coast was clear, Hana and Jin emerged from their hiding spot from a behind a bush and ran off in the opposite direction which they went.

"Their numbers are too large. We will only be able to avoid them but we can't get away from them." Jin muttered to himself. Hana rolled her eyes but agreed with Jin. Like this, they can only afford to hide from Bandit until they give up. But it would not be very likely, given how terrified all of them were of the queen.

"At this rate, we might have to camp out in trees." Jin scrunched up his nose at that thought. Again, Hana rolled her eyes. That had been her first opinion since she had noted that Bandit never bothers to look at trees when they are looking for something. But given how Jin disliked the idea, she decided not to push for it.

He pulled at Hana's hand and led her over to a large tree with the roots overlapping each other. Hana raised a questioning eyebrow at him. In response, he pushed her down into one of the large holes which was made from the gap in the roots. He soon followed and they huddled closely together.

 _'We can't keep on running like this. We should find Muraku and Yuno as soon as possible and return to the palace.'_ Hana signed.

"I don't think that returning to the palace is a good idea." Jin countered it. "If grandfather knows that I'm here, which I doubt that he doesn't, he will know that Queen Kinako had told me everything and who knows what he'll do."

'Good point.' Hana signed with a sigh. 'Then what are we going to do?'

"Simple, we'll bring the fight to him."

Hana gave him a stare that asked him what in the world was he thinking so Jin had to explain. "I'm tired of being my grandfather's puppet. If Queen Kinako, Aidara and Queen Renneton want to have him off the throne, I have no problems with that."

Hana frowned and wondered how he was going to do that. Seeing this, Jin shrugged. "I don't have a plan yet. But I know that this is what I want. In the meantime, we're going to have to hide out. And as much as I hate to, I'm sending Yuno to Wecasta until I know that it'll be safe for her to go back."

'And what about me?'

"Isn't it obvious? You're staying with me." Jin smiled at her as he peaked out of the hole. Once it was clear, he climbed out and extended his hand. "I made a mistake of letting go of you once. I'm not going to make the same mistake again."

Hana stared at him and then at his extended hand. She slowly reached out and took his hand, allowing him to pull her up.

"How sweet."

Jin and Hana jerked around to see the leader of the squad of Bandit approaching them with his sword pointed at them.

"Luckily I thought of this or you would have escaped and I will have my head off." He sneered as he got closer. Jin and Hana slowly backed away, the former cursing as he lost his sword when dueling with Muraku so they were defenseless against Bandit.

"Don't you dare harm them!" Muraku snarled as he came out of nowhere behind the Bandit and killed him with a single blow of his sword.

"Muraku!?" Jin cried in surprise.

Muraku stiffened and slowly turned around. He did not move from where he was but kept a wary gaze at Jin. Hana sighed inwardly and wondered if the friendship between the two brothers will ever be restored. She offered him a smile and stepped forward. _'Where's Yuno and the girl that was with you?'_

"They're with Ban." Muraku said with a grateful look. "I figured it would be safer for them to be with him while I looked for you."

Hana let out a sigh of relief and turned to Jin who had not said a word and had a stony gaze at Muraku. She rolled her eyes and tugged his arm. _'Jin, stop it. He saved us and that's what matters. Doesn't this show that he still cares for you?'_

Jin begrudgingly nodded and said stiffly. "Thank you."

Hana shifted her gaze from Jin to Muraku. 'They still care a lot for each other under the surface even after Jin had tried to hurt him and his friends many times already. Muraku, you have my deepest admiration. Not many can still care for the person who hurt him even when he had hurt you so many times.'

Muraku cleared his throat and lowered his head. "Jin, I know that you hate me for leaving you and I deserve that. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I don't regret my decision one bit. But I forgive you for everything you did to me and Mikhail and his family."

Jin's head shot up and his eyes glazed over. "Why?" he croaked out weakly. "Why would you forgive me?"

Muraku gave him a sad smile. "Because no matter what happened between us and no matter how big the rift between us is, you are still my brother."

Jin's mouth fell open and he stumbled backwards. Hana quickly caught up and steadied him, tears forming in her eyes. 'This is what Jin needs, someone to forgive him. Jin, just a little more and you can throw away the person you were for the past five years.'

"Jin, listen." Muraku spoke up seriously. "The queen…my…mother, will not stop until she finds you. I'll create a diversion and you and Hana must leave and never come back to this place."

"Then what will happen to you?" Jin frowned.

"Don't worry. She won't hurt me. I'll force her to leave you alone if I have to." Muraku told him determinately.

"I'm not leaving you with that witch." Jin said firmly.

"Jin, our best bet is to buy ourselves some time to get our bearings and planning straight. There's no way you can handle the queen and Yoshimitsu Kaidou at the same time. We have to assess our roles properly or everything will fall into chaos." Muraku said patiently as he turned to go. "Trust me. I know that my own mother will not harm me. We will see each other again. I'm sure of it." He offered him a smile. "Now go!"

Jin clenched his fist and slowly nodded. "Stay safe. And when we see each other again, it'll be as brothers."

Muraku halted in his steps and squeezed his eyes. "Of course."

Hana watched all this with a small smile as tears formed from being touched by Muraku and Jin's restored friendship. Jin grabbed her hand and led her in the opposite direction of where Muraku was going, glancing back every so often.

'Stay safe little brother.' Jin wished.


	38. Chapter 38

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Shortly after leaving Jin and Hana, Muraku ran into another group of Bandit.

"There he is!" The leader yelled and they surrounded him. They eyed him warily as they wondered if he would fight them off or escape.

Muraku smirked and held up his hands. "Don't worry, I'm not going to run. But I want to see Queen Kinako right now!"

"Should we get her?" One Bandit asked the leader.

"He doesn't want to run, so I say that we bring her here and if he escapes again, we won't bear the burden." The leader whispered back to him. "Go and get her and Seredy-sama now."

"Yes sir!"

Muraku watched in amusement as the Bandits that were surrounding him nervously huddled around him to prevent him from escaping. He can only imagine how much effect the queen can have on her men. Soon enough, the Bandit returned with Queen Kinako and Seredy rushing behind him. The Bandit surrounding him quickly made way for them.

Queen Kinako smirked and extended her hand. "Muraku, I'm glad that you have seen sense. Come back with me and I will consider forgetting about the fact that you refused to come with me in the first place."

"I am willing to come with you. But like I said before, you have to leave Jin and his friends alone and untouched." Muraku said firmly.

Queen Kinako's face hardened and she raised her hand, slapping him. "I told you before, I will not let go of the one and only chance I have at revenge."

Muraku clenched his teeth as he rubbed the sport Queen Kinako had hit and rested his other hand on the hilt of his sword. In one swift moment, he pulled it out and held the blade by his neck. Queen Kinako's eyes became wide and started to move forward, but Muraku only responded by stepping back and pressed the sword deeper.

"Don't come any closer!" He yelled at her.

"Muraku, you don't have to do this." Queen Kinako pleaded.

"I have to if I don't want to be under people like you." Muraku hissed. "You want to love me as your son. But how can I believe that when all you did was put me under more pain than before?"

Queen Kinako pursed her lips and stretched out her hand. "What do you want me to do?"

"Like I said, let Jin and his friends go. I want to take down Yoshimitsu Kaidou as much as you do, but I'm not going to sacrifice anymore lives for that." Muraku said firmly.

Queen Kinako's eyes softened but her fist tightened. "Why are you so insistant that I let Jin Kaidou go?"

"Because, no matter what happens, he is my brother. And if something were to ever happen to him, I will rather die than to live with you!"

Queen Kinako scowled and slowly turned to Seredy. "Call of the search."

Seredy blinked in surprise as did the rest of Bandit but none of them dared to contradict or question her so he bowed. "As you wish."

Queen Kinako turned back to her son and extended her hand again. "I called off the search. They can leave the area now. Put down the sword."

Muraku eyed her suspiciously but lowered his sword and replaced it. "Fine. But remember, if I hear anything about Jin or Hana or Yuno getting hurt, now or in the future, I will not hesitate to pull the same stunt."

"I can assure you that I will not touch them. Unlike Yoshimitsu Kaidou, I have more honor than you think." Queen Kinako said softly and went over, engulfing him in a hug. "You have no idea how much I waited for this day to be reunited with you."

Muraku hesitantly returned the hug. Inwardly, he was conflicted on accepting her as his mother given how he still remember his parents, if they were even really his parents, and how cruel she was momentarily towards him.

She pulled away and smiled. "Your sister will be thrilled to know that she has a brother. I bet that she'll be glad that Nana will have a father figure in her life even if it is her uncle. By the way, are you married yet or seeing somebody?"

Muraku stiffened at that and shook his head. Queen Kinako smirked and nodded her head. "Good. That means that I don't have to worry about a lot of things."

She refused to elaborate and pulled at his arm instead. "Come on. We're going home."

* * *

"I hope Muraku will be alright." Yuno said worriedly to herself as she trekked along with the group. So far, there has been no sign of Muraku or Jin and Hana for the past hour and she was getting worried.

"Don't worry. He's gotten in to more trouble before. He can get out of it easily." Reika mumbled as she stumbled along with Arata's support.

"How long have you known him?" Ban asked her curiously.

"A year. And it was long enough for me to know that he can get into a lot of trouble and almost every time that happens, he needs my help to get him out somehow." Reika offered a weak smile.

"By the way, how did you managed to control those plants to get us away from the fight?" Arata asked her.

Reika chuckled weakly at that. "Well, every living being has a response to a certain kind of stimulous which can control them as well. For nature, it is music. Certain melodies can stimulate nature into doing certain things like how I used the plants to get you guys away just now."

"With you on our side, I don't see how we can't defeat Yoshitmitsu Kaidou." Arata grinned.

Reika halted in her tracks at that and pushed Arata away. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not going to be anyone's tool. Once we are out of here, I'm gone. There is no way I am going to partake in this silly feud."

"It's not a silly feud!" Kazu snapped.

"Then tell that to the people who are tired of your fights with the Kaidou Empire. You don't see how much it is troubling them because they feel that they have to pick a side and yet, they want to remain neutral." Reika snorted. "I agree that Yoshimitsu Kaidou is very cruel, but that does not mean that I want to be dragged into this. I would rather live hidden from him than to be used as a tool for either side."

"Let it go, Arata." Ban said quietly before Arata could protest. "She has made a choice just like many others did. There's no use forcing her to join us."

"I know how that feels, being caught in the middle, I mean." Yuno spoke up. "My father tries to remain as neutral as possible despite the alliance but there are times we are forced to pick Yoshimitsu's side. Not everyone has the courage to stand up to him like you guys. They may want to but are too afraid of what he will do to them."

"That and they don't want their peaceful lives to be ruined." Reika mumbled as she nearly stumbled into a tree. Arata sighed and pulled her away before steading her.

"By the way, I don't think we have thanked you for saving us back there." Ban spoke up.

"Thank Muraku for that. He was the one who asked me to get you guys away. Otherwise I might have been too distracted to do so." Reika mumbled back.

Every chuckled nervously but stopped when an arrow flew past them and hit the tree in front of them. Everyone jumped and started to pull out their weapons when Ban yelled for them to stop.

"There's a note attached to the arrow." Yuno pointed out. Despite everyone's protest, she went over to the arrow and pulled out the note, reading it with a frown once she recognized the handwriting.

"Yuno, what does it say?" Arata asked her.

"It's Jin's handwriting." Yuno sighed sadly as she folded the note up. "He said that he doesn't want to return to the Kaidou palace for the time being. And he wants me to not go back there or Odela either until he can figure out how to face Lord Yoshitmitsu."

"But why?" Ban frowned. "What happened after we left back with the queen?"

"A lot of things." Yuno sighed again. "But to cut the story short, we found out that the queen is actually Muraku's mother, but don't ask about it. I don't have any idea about it either. Also, she hit some hard truths about Yoshimitsu Kaidou's plans for Jin, which broke him down. I can understand that's why he does not want to go back now."

"That must be a big shock." Ban shook his head in disbelieve, starting to understand Queen Renneton's words about Mia. "But if that's so, there's no point in searching for them since he will want to lay low and would probably bring Hana along. As for Muraku, I have to take Reika's word for it that he'll be safe. Men, we're going back now!"

"Roger!"

"Then what about Queen Yuno?" Kazu asked him.

"She can come with us, if that's fine with her, that is."

"I guess I have no other choice." Yuno sighed.

* * *

 _'Are you sure that it is ok to let Yuno go with them?'_ Hana signed to Jin as they made their way out of the forest after delivering the note to Yuno with their unconventional method.

"It'll be fine. I would rather her with them than with us now." Jin said nonchalantly. "More importantly, do you have any idea of where we should go if we want to lay low without the Empire finding us for the time being?"

Hana bit her lip as a place came to her mind but she pushed it away because that place did not contain the best memories she had. Nevertheless, she signed to Jin, _'I may know a few places where the Empire won't check, but it may not be the best places though.'_

"I don't care. I'll take anywhere right now." Jin said stiffly.

Hana tilted her head as she tried to think up of the closest place to them and does not hold any significance to her. Finally, a place came to her mind and she gestured at one direction. _'I think there is an abandoned farmland close to the borders here. There is a spring that goes past there and an abundance of wild animals. We can stay there for the time being.'_

"Alright, lead the way." Jin breathe out. They began walking in the direction Hana pointed and along the way, Jin smiled at Hana. "I didn't think you would still be a good shooter after all these years."

Hana blushed at that but shrugged it off. _'It's a natural reaction for my body after years of hunting.'_

"I guess we can leave the hunting to you then." Jin said casually.

Hana rolled her eyes and lightly punched his shoulder. _'Fine, but you'll have to gather the firewood, get fresh water every day and clean up the place.'_

"Whatever you say." Jin rolled his eyes back.


	39. Chapter 39

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"When is mama going to come back?" Mia sighed as she rocked Nana while strolling around the gardens. "Even Master Yuko is not around."

"I am back now." Yuko said tiredly from behind as she walked over to her and bowed. "Forgive me for disturbing you."

"It's alright." Mia waved it off with a sigh. "It's not like I have anything better to do anyway. Where's my mother?"

"She should be back soon. She already has what she wants." Yuko explained but refused to elaborate. Knowing her student very well, she may not be able to handle the news that her mother has found her long lost brother and that he is going to live with them. As far as she could remember, Mia was the apple of her mother's eye and is spoilt by her, but in a good way, in Yuko's opinion. It helped ease the pain from losing the king on both mother and daughter and not to mention, Mia doesn't act like a spoilt brat like some of the other officials' children but is a good person at heart. But even so, Mia was not the most generous person when it came to her mother's love. Hopefully, she'll get over it soon and get along with her brother.

'Maybe between both Mia and Muraku, Queen Kinako might agree to forget about this whole revenge thing and focus on reviving the kingdom instead.' Yuko hoped. Her family had been loyal to the royal family for generations and she was not about to stop that. But Queen Kinako was only part of the royal family by marriage so she is not liable to agree with her ways. But for Mia's sake, she kept quiet all this time given that she was the only existing descendant of the Houjou family until she had Nana and Queen Kinako told her the truth about her other child.

"Master Yuko, what is my mother doing anyway?" Mia suddenly asked her.

Yuko shrugged and gestured for her to follow her. "I'm afraid I can't say a thing about it. Queen Kinako is very strict on keeping this secretive. I don't think she wants anyone to know about what she's doing until she tells us herself."

"Mama and her secrets." Mia sighed. Nana stirred in her arms and waved her chubby hands around until Mia stroked her hand around it. "I'm going to back to my room. Please call me when mama comes back."

"Of course." Yuko bowed and watched her student head down the halls to go back to her room. She sighed and went down to the main room to wait for Queen Kinako and Muraku to pass time. "Mia is no longer the happy go lucky girl I once taught despite the fact that she was able to put up a front in front of everyone. But from what I gathered from Reika the last time we spoke, she was genuinely happy when she confronted Yoshimitsu Kaidou and possibly Queen Renneton too. I guess she's too caught up with the memories of him here…"

"Caught up with who?"

Yuko jumped and quickly bowed down. "Forgive me, your grace. I was just talking to myself."

"Never mind." Queen Kinako waved it off and gestured for her to get up. "I'm sure that you have met him before, but I'll introduce the both of you properly now." She stepped aside, revealing Muraku who was shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "Muraku, this is Yuko Kuriko. Her family has served ours for generations and has trained Mia in martial arts. She will also be in charge of starting your training."

"Training for what?" Muraku asked with dread.

"In martial arts of course." Queen Kinako said smugly. "I would rather my children learning to protect themselves instead of relying on others to protect them. Bodyguards can betray you at the very last minute."

"…I see."

"So, Yuko, see to it that Muraku learns to fight." Queen Kinako ordered her.

"Of course, it will be my honor too." Yuko bowed although she was not certain that this was a good idea, especially if Mia found out.

"Where is Mia?" Queen Kinako asked, sitting down at the large chair at the end of the room.

"She is in her room." Yuko answered.

"Call her down and ask her to bring Nana as well if she is awake."

"…Yes, your grace." Yuko said hesitantly, something that Muraku did not miss.

Queen Kinako turned to her son and offered him a smile. "Why are you still standing around? Sit down." She gestured at the chair beside her. Muraku slowly made his way to the chair and sat down. Queen Kinako was satisfied at that and smirked. "Later, you will be meeting your sister and your niece. Do greet her well."

"If you don't mind me asking, is Mia married?" Muraku asked.

Queen Kinako's eyes darkened and for a moment Muraku thought that he did something wrong until she shook her head. "Not anymore. Her husband died two months ago during an outbreak of malaria."

Muraku flinched at that and lowered his head. "Oh."

"But never mind, she's getting over it. However, I advise you not to bring it up. It is a sore subject in this household."

"I understand."

The doors opened and Yuko stepped in with Mia and Nana in tow. Once Mia spotted her mother, she ran over but halted in her tracks when she saw Muraku and her mouth fell open. "Mama…who is he!?"

"Quiet Mia, or you'll startle Nana." Queen Kinako said sternly, making Mia flinch. She turned to Muraku and introduced him. "Mia, this is Muraku. He is your twin brother."

"That can't be!" Mia shook her head in disbelief. "You raised me as a single child!"

"I sent him away years ago when you were only toddlers because it was too risky for me to keep both of you at once." Queen Kinako said calmly. "Come, greet your brother and let him meet Nana."

Mia glared at Muraku and jealousy and anger swelled up in her chest. 'That's my seat he is sitting on! Does this mean that everything that is mine will be his now!?'

"Mia, go on." Yuko lightly pushed her forward.

Muraku shifted his feet awkwardly and got up. "You should be the one sitting here. You can't keep on standing with your child in your hands."

"Ah, you're quite a gentleman." Queen Kinako nodded in approval and turned to Mia. "Well?"

Mia begrudgingly went over and lowered her head at Muraku. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Muraku forced a smile. Mia however returned it with a glare and sat down, staying quiet while rocking Nana. Muraku frowned and shifted his gaze to Nana who cooed at him. He had to smile at that and reached for her when Mia suddenly jerked away.

"Mia." Queen Kinako scolded her.

"Mama, Nana is still small and is very vulnerable to sicknesses. I don't want her to fall sick just because a stra…someone else other than me and the nurse touch her." Mia justified her actions.

"You're right." Queen Kinako sighed. "Yuko, bring Muraku to the third room upstairs. From now on, that will be his room. Muraku, get cleaned before dinner and you can hold Nana then."

Mia had a look of pure horror at that suggestion and stood up. "Mama!"

"Mia, stop it." Queen Kinako held up her hands. "Muraku is your brother so he is staying here. You are brothers and sisters so I expect that you get along with him."

"…Yes, mama." Mia said through gritted teeth and stormed out of the room.

Yuko sighed and gestured for Muraku to follow her to his room.

"Why does she hate me?" Muraku wondered quietly once they were far away from the main room.

"Well, she's been raised as an only child and I admit that Queen Kinako had spoilt her in more than one way." Yuko said sheepishly. "So for her to learn that you are her brother…it's making her think that you'll replace her."

Muraku frowned and clenched his fist. "I shouldn't even be here."

"There's no helping it. Once Queen Kinako sets her mind on something, she'll see that it will succeed no matter the cost." Yuko shrugged. "But, I was hoping that the both of you would convince her to stop thinking of revenge and focus on building up the country again. However, based on Mia's current resentment towards you, it may take a while."

Muraku looked at her in surprise. "Why…"

"I spoke too much." Yuko shook her head. "I'll explain another day, but not now."

Muraku narrowed his eyes at her but she did not say anymore until they reached a room. The room was fairly big like his one at the Kaidou Palace but the bed was made of wood instead of brass and there was a cupboard and table at one end of the room.

"This will be your room. Her grace has already prepared your wardrobe in that cupboard." She said pointing at the said cupboard. "Please be ready before the sun sets."

She bowed and left Muraku to her own devices.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mia was silently fuming in her room as to not disturb Nana from her nap.

"Mama, what are you thinking?" She grumbled as she paced around her room. "He's not my brother, he's a complete stranger. I refuse to accept him as my brother."

"But you'll have to by your mother's orders." Yuko said softly as she came in. "Forgive the intrusion, but I wanted to see how you are faring with the news."

"I don't understand. How can mama simply let him stay? We barely know him at all." Mia growled as she sat down on her bed.

"Mia, I know that it is hard, but no matter what you think, he is your brother and you share the same blood in your bodies." Yuko said patiently. "Besides, think about Nana. Do you want her to grow up like you without a father in her life? Muraku can act like a father figure for her."

"But still…"

"Your father will be unhappy if you keep up that attitude." Yuko said firmly, knowing that she was pushing it but it was the triumph card which will always succeed.

Mia pursed her mouth shut and stormed over to Nana's cradle, rocking it with some force but not enough to wake her up.

'I guess that worked well.' Yuko thought sarcastically to herself and went back down to the main room to report to Queen Kinako.

* * *

"I take it that Mia is still fussing about this." Queen Kinako sighed when Yuko came in.

"I'm afraid so. I believe that she needs some time to come to terms with this truth." Yuko said, kneeling down.

"It can't be helped I suppose." Queen Kinako waved her hand and Yuko rose. "But on the other hand, having Muraku back with me lifts the burden of guilt off my heart for not being with him to raise him."

"Please forgive me for saying this, but I have reason to believe that Mia is jealous of the attention that you are giving Muraku." Yuko spoke carefully.

"Ah, it's about time she learns that she cannot have all of my love and affection to herself since Muraku is going to stay with us." Queen Kinako said in mild amusement. "I admit that there is still room for maturing for her."

"I suppose that is true." Yuko said with a small smile.

"In the meantime, I have a few errands to carry out next week and will be gone for a few days. That should be sufficient enough for them to have some bonding time."

Yuko looked up at her in surprise, wondering what 'errands' is she talking about but knew better than to question her. Instead, she nodded. "If that's the case, I wish you well and hope that they will indeed bond."


	40. Chapter 40

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

 _A few days later…_

"We've been travelling for days and how much longer do we need to go to reach that farmhouse?" Jin sighed tiredly as they trod on to their destination.

 _'Probably a few more hours. I think I forgot how far it is and since we don't have our horses, we took longer.'_ Hana signed as she tried to keep up with him. As much as she did not want to admit it, her time in captivity had weakened her no thanks to Seredy's endless torture.

Seeing this, Jin paused and made her sit down under a shady tree. "Let's take a break. We need to conserve our energy if we want to get there by nightfall."

Hana relented and leaned against the bark of the tree. She took in its scent as she reminisced her cottage in Misora Town which was probably left to rot after she left.

"Hana, how long do you think it'll take for grandfather to understand his mistakes?" Jin suddenly asked.

Hana frowned at him and slowly signed, _'I'm not sure if someone as bad as him will even know what he did was wrong. I don't want to get your hopes up nor do I want to further discredit him in your eyes. But what he did to everyone under his rule and you is no better than what Seredy did to me.'_

Jin grunted in frustration and gulped down water from the bottle they had. "I know that. But that doesn't change the fact that he's the one who raised me for most of my life."

 _'Hm, it may be because I'm bias though. I only had parents who love money more than their daughter.'_ Hana signed in a casual manner but Jin winced at being reminded at that. She took no notice of that and stood up. _'I'm better now. We can continue.'_

Jin frowned but followed her in a respectful distance but he was thinking about Hana and whatever happened five years ago. 'Things have changed a lot. For better or for worse, I don't know. But one thing I know is that Hana probably suffered more than she already has in life. Man, I've became too selfish to notice this and Muraku must had a hard time dealing with his ghost from his past as prince. And yet, I still broke my promise and tried to chase him down.'

Meanwhile, Hana was silently observing him while wondering of what he was thinking of. But from the looks of it, he was being remorseful of it. Inwardly, she winced as she did not mean from her earlier comment as a jab but she just could not help it. She was jealous, she admitted that. Neither of them spoke to each other for a few hours until they arrived at an old and abandoned farmhouse. But Jin felt that it was still inhabitable since the roof and structure are still in good shape.

"Hana, is this the place?" He asked her for confirmation.

 _'It has been a long time since I came here, but yes, I can still recognize the place.'_ Hana nodded.

"Ok." Jin nodded. "We better get settled inside before it gets dark."

He pushed open the door and looked around. The entire place was dusty and there was a musty smell coming out of the entire place. There was old furniture scattered around but Jin did not bother to touch them knowing that they may break.

"I'm going to go and gather some firewood and some berries to eat. We'll have those for tonight since we're both too tired to hunt." Jin told her as he made her sit down by the fireplace.

Knowing that it was pointless to protest, Hana leaned against the wall while waiting for Jin to come back. In the meantime, she observed the farmhouse and noted that there was some difference since she last came here.

 _'I suppose this place is also a refuge for many others who come by here. It's funny how we came to be like this, reduced to refugees in one day.'_ She smiled lightly at the irony.

"Hana, I'm back." Jin said as he came back in with some firewood under his arm and a bag of berries wrapped in cloth. He sat down and tried to arrange the firewood and start a fire with no avail. Hana giggled and took over for him, succeeding instead.

"I guess I'm not as skilled as you when it comes to things like this." Jin admitted with a sheepish look as he leaned back beside her.

 _'It comes with experience. Took me months just to learn how to make a proper fire.'_ Hana signed with a roll of her eyes.

"Truth to be told, this is more of Muraku's expertise since he's the one who travels all the time. I prefer to stay back at the palace for my lessons though." Jin said wistfully as he munched on a berry.

 _'I think he's just a free spirited person which is why he's not afraid to speak his mind or make his own decisions. The only downside of that is that he does not know how it would affect others until much later.'_ Hana signed with a thoughtful look.

"Maybe, but I'm glad now that we made peace with each other before we left." Jin said with a small smile on his face.

Hana smiled back and snuggled closer to him. A moment later, Jin felt something on his chest and glanced down. He blushed with he found Hana asleep with her head on his chest. He gently shifted and wrapped his cloak around the both of them and soon fell asleep too with his arms around her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Muraku was not having a good night due to the fact that his niece would wake up every two hours and wake everyone up with her wailing. And this has been going on ever since he started staying there.

He groaned as he pushed himself up and peaked out to the corridor. Sure enough, Mia was pacing around, trying to rock Nana to sleep. Despite being annoyed that he was awaken in the middle of the night, he could see how tired Mia was given the bags under her eyes and how she was swaying on her feet.

He frowned as he opened his door wider and stepped out into the corridor. "Mia, let me take over. You need to rest."

Mia turned around with a frown. "What?"

"Let me take care of Nana for the night." He offered again. "You need your sleep and you can't take care of her if you're too tired."

Unfortunately, Mia misunderstood that and she growled at him, holding Nana tighter. "What was that?"

"I mean, Nana needs her mother to be healthy to be able to take care of her. You can't be the only one handling her at night when she gets fussy or needs to be fed. I have some experience in taking care of toddlers."

"I've been doing it for two months so what is the difference now?" Mia sniffed, still unwilling to pass on Nana to him. She clearly distrusted him and did not want her or her daughter to have anything to do with him.

Seeing this, Muraku sighed and extended his hand. "Mia, we're siblings and siblings are supposed to help each other out. I want to help you and you need your rest. What would happen if you collapsed and Nana has no one to take care of her?"

Mia growled as she realized that he was right and reluctantly handed Nana to him. "If anything happens to her, the first thing I'm going to do is throttle you until you cannot breath!" Mia hissed as loud as she dared without disturbing her daughter.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to her." Muraku said with a blank look. Mia gave her daughter one last look and went back into her room. Muraku on the other hand went back to his room and rocked Nana softly.

"Nana, you're so tiny but cute at the same time. Your mother is lucky to have a child like you." Muraku murmured as he rocked her. Nana blinked her large eyes at him and reached out to touch his face. Muraku smiled softly and stroked her tuff of hair. "I can see now why Mother calls you an angel. You're so angelic in appearances."

As he rocked her, he subconsciously hummed a tune he heard Vanessa hum to Mike whenever he would not go to sleep. Slowly, Nana's eyes began to drop until he could feel her snore lightly. Muraku sighed in relief and went back to Mia's room. She was sound asleep when he replaced Nana in her crib and went over to Mia, pulling the quilt over her shoulders.

"Goodnight." He whispered and left the room silently.

* * *

"So the prince and his wife never returned to the palace." Queen Kinako smirked when Seredy delivered the news at the appointed place they agreed to meet. "What is Yoshimitsu Kaidou going to do?"

"He's absolutely livid and he's ordering a search on the three of them. But I have my doubts on whether they can actually do so." Seredy reported, bowing low.

"I agree. But in the meantime, gather all of your men. We're going to pay him a little visit." Queen Kinako's smirk grew.

"What are your orders for the raid?" Seredy asked, eager for this assignment.

"I was thinking that since he's recovering from a heart attack, we'll give him a little _present_." Queen Kinako said innocently. "After that, we'll show him just how powerless he is. Since he doesn't have his perfect grandson anymore, we might as well take away everything he _worked hard_ for to earn."

"And am I to expose myself?"

"Yes." Queen Kinako nodded. "It is time we showed ourselves after nineteen years of hiding. I'm tired of making him think that I'm a coward."

"As you wish, your highness." Seredy lowered his head. "I will have my best men assembled immediately. When do you wish to head out?"

"In three days' time. But I want you to go on ahead and give him a little scare to anticipate my arrival."

"Yes, your highness."

Queen Kinako smirked for one last time and left the meeting place. 'Yoshimitsu Kaidou, after all these years, I'm finally going to make myself known and I will take my revenge like I swore, but before I kill you, I will take away everything you hold dear and make you wish that you are dead first.'


	41. Chapter 41

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **Authors note: Updates for Battle for the Throne and Different than You will be very sparse because I have to complete several assignments as soon as possible and I'm going off for my Chinese New Year holidays soon. Hopefully the updates will be back to normal by March.**

* * *

The next morning, Queen Kinako was pleasantly surprise to see that Muraku was handling Nana while Mia slept in at his insistence.

"I'm glad that you managed to talk Mia into getting more sleep. I doubt that she had enough rest since I left." Queen Kinako shook her head. "And even more so, I'm glad that you like Nana."

Muraku offered a small smile at that. "Nana is my niece and I am glad to take care of her."

"Well, if it is too much, don't hesitate to call the nurse." Queen Kinako told him and sat down beside him. "By the way, I will be out for a few days next week. I hope that you will use this time to get to know your sister."

Muraku felt suspicious at that but because he wanted to uphold his end of the bargain he had with his mother for Jin and Hana's safety, he did not question it. Instead, he said, "I understand."

"Oh, before I forget…" Queen Kinako rummaged through the sleeves of her robes and took out a necklace with a black onyx pendant similar to the one Mia has and secured it around his neck. "This was made by your father for you before you were born. Before I knew that I was having twins, your father made an amethyst necklace and an onyx necklace which you are wearing now. He thought that it would be safer to have one for each gender." She said with a reminiscing smile. "But in the end, I have twins of each gender so the both of you can have them."

Muraku blinked and touched the onyx with his free hand. "What is father like?"

"He's one of the most handsome, brave and reckless man I know." Queen Kinako said with a fond smile. "You and Mia inherited his looks and personality wise, I think you resemble him more. I was an official's daughter when your father and I met. He was the crowned prince at that time and although we had a few conflicts, I grew close to him and fell in love with him. But don't get me wrong. I did not fall in love with him because of his status. I loved him because he was capable of tampering my solid metal heart into something beautiful. He is a jewel cutter in his spare time, you see."

"Oh." Muraku said, intrigued by his father based on his mother's description.

"Well, it's about time to feed Nana." Queen Kinako changed the subject. "Go and wake up Mia so that she can feed her."

"Alright." Muraku nodded, feeling slightly disappointed that he could not learn more about his father but Nana was fussing in his arms so he quickly headed up to Mia's room so that he can hand her back before the infant in his arms can cry.

* * *

"I hope that your stay here is pleasant enough, your highness." Ban told Yuno that morning when she came down from her room in their house.

"It's just Yuno." Yuno told him with a smile. "To be honest, I hate formalities."

"As you wish then." Ban chuckled as they walked to the dining room. "But are you worried about Jin and Hana?"

"Not exactly." Yuno shook her head. "I trust Hana to keep herself and Jin safe until they deem that it is safe to return to the Kaidou palace. I am sure that I can go back there too when they do."

Ban frowned at that and glanced around the table. Since everyone was there, he stood up and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Right, since everyone is here, we should have a meeting regarding two matters which urgently needs our attention."

"The queen of Lambary and Yoshitmitsu Kaidou's current actions." Arata clarified.

"But which is more dangerous?" Kazu wondered grimly. "Both are powerful and deadly in their own way."

"In my opinion, the Queen of Lambary is deadlier given what you told us. She controls Bandit and is capable of fighting in hand to hand." Gouda pointed out.

"But Yoshimitsu Kaidou had conquered many kingdoms with brutal force." Ran added.

"Now is not the time to debate on who is the greater evil." Ami cut in gently. "Like Kazu said, both are deadly and powerful in their own way."

"But to Queen Kinako's credit, she truly cares for her love ones." Yuno added softly. "I've seen it with the way she treated Muraku and how Mia greatly adores her."

"I suppose so." Ban nodded. "But at the same time, I believe that Queen Kinako must be aiming to kill Yoshimitsu Kaidou for revenge while he wants to kill her because he views her as a threat."

"I don't think it is that simple." Yuno spoke up. "I heard bits of her past with Yoshimitsu Kaidou and what you told me. I think Yoshimitsu Kaidou wants to silence her but he is afraid of her because of what she can actually do. But not once did she show herself to him personally. Instead she sent her daughter, Mia, to pass on her messages. And even Mia could take down the whole of the palace guards, proving her skills."

"She took down all of the palace guards?!" Hikaru exclaimed in surprise.

"That's not surprising to me." Haruki sighed. "When I first met her, she had a really powerful air to her and she uses a weapon not normally used in our region."

"So we have a power, revenge thirsty queen with a powerful fighter of a daughter." Asuka sighed. "And Yoshimitsu Kaidou has…himself."

"This must be what Queen Kinako wants." Ban said grimly. "Yuno, you said that she wanted to kill Jin because he was Yoshimitsu Kaidou's heir and the only one who would continue his legacy, right?"

"That's right." Yuno nodded. "And given that Sir Kamiya is dead, he'll probably try to find Jin and brainwash him again into the king that he wants him to be."

"My thoughts exactly. So we can expect Queen Kinako to make the first move against him."

"So are we going to sit aside and wait until there is a winning side before taking that side down?" Takeru asked.

"We'll only be like Queen Kinako then." Hiro frowned. "She waited for years until there is a crack in Yoshimitsu Kaidou's defenses before striking."

"Hiro's right." Haruki nodded in agreement. "And that will defeat the purpose of bringing Yoshimitsu Kaidou to justice, not take revenge and let the queen do our work for us."

"Then what's our plan of action?" Ran asked.

"We'll have to divide our forces for the time being. One group will deal with Yoshimitsu Kaiodu and the other will deal with Queen Kinako." Ban told them. "Group A which will deal with Queen Kinako will consist of me, Haruki, Sakuya, Hiro, Ran and Gouda."

"Then the other team, Group B, will deal with Yoshimitsu Kaidou. Arata, Hikaru, Takeru, Kazu, and Asuka will be with me." Ami spoke up.

"Yes." Ban nodded. "My group will travel back to Queen Kinako's region and we'll try to persuade her to drop the idea of revenge. If she agrees to stop and help us stop Yoshimitsu Kaidou, then we'll help her restore Lambary."

"As for my group, we will head back to Aradia." Ami told them. "We're going to monitor the situation all times at the palace. If anything happens, we can plan accordingly our next course of action."

"Is that safe?" Kazu wondered worriedly. "Maybe you should stay back here and let us to the scouting..."

"Kazu, it'll be fine." Ami said with a slight roll of eyes.

"But Ami, we agree with him." Arata spoke up meekly. "Given your situation…"

"Fine." Ami begrudgingly agreed. Under her breath, she muttered, "Three months pregnant and my husband is already over protective of me." In her normal voice volume, she said, "Then I'll stay back here with Yuno then. But who's going to take my place?"

"What about Reika?" Asuka suggested. "Given that she can move around quickly, she can bring news instantaneously from one place to another."

"The problem is, she's unwilling to enter this mess and not to mention, none of us has seen her since we came back." Ban pointed out. Ever since they came back to Wecasta, Reika had slipped away and went back into the forest despite Ban's invitation for her to stay until her injuries were healed.

"Let me go and find her. She might listen to me." Takeru offered.

"Alright then, given how she trust you." Arata nodded with a thumbs up. "Go and find her before we leave."

"Got it." Takeru nodded.

"In the meantime, I'll be helping Queen Renneton." Ami said in mock disappointment.

"I'll help you if you want." Yuno offered.

"Thanks." Ami smiled at her.

"If all things are settled, then we'll have to get ready. Both groups will be heading out tomorrow at dawn. Takeru, if you want to find Reika, I suggest that you go now."

"Alright." Takeru nodded and left the house. Soon enough, everyone left the dining room to do their own thing and only Ami, Yuno and Ban were left in the room.

"Say, this may not be important, but I found out recently that the neighbors which moved in recently is actually Mikhail Rouke and his family." Ami suddenly brought up.

"Really?" Ban looked up in mild surprise. "So that's what Muraku meant that we'll be seeing him more often than usual."

"But will he really be around?" Yuno frowned. "There is a chance that he stayed back to prevent his mother from killing Jin and Hana."

"That may be true, but if what you say is true, then I doubt that Queen Kinako will harm Muraku nor will she let Bandit hurt him."

"You're right." Ami nodded. "I don't think we should tell Mikhail and Vanessa about what happened. They are under enough stress from the move and the Empire. I heard that the day just before they were going to move, they were nearly assaulted by an assassin."

"What?" Ban's mouth dropped open in shock. "I have to inform this to Queen Renneton so that she will post some men nearby to keep an eye on them in case Yoshimitsu Kaidou has any ideas of coming after them again."

"That may be the best course of action. Now we have to wait for Takeru to come back with Reika."

* * *

Out in the woods, Takeru had gone over to Reika's hut only to find that no one was there. "Weird, where could she be?" He wondered, peaking inside the hut and noted that there were shreds of cloths scattered around with dry blood on them which he assumed was from her injuries which Ban told him about.

He wandered around the area and soon came across Mama Bear's den. He was slightly surprise to see that Tuga and Chi were sleeping at the entrance of the den but Mama Bear and Reika were nowhere to be seen. He cautiously approached them. "Tuga? Chi?"

Tuga lifted his head and lumbered over to him, pawing his pants. Takeru chuckled and patted his head. "Where's Reika?"

Tuga nodded up at the tree above the den and lumbered back to his sister's side, falling asleep again. Takeru chuckled and went over to the tree. "Reika?"

There was a short yelp and something came falling down the tree and Takeru quickly took a step back to avoid it. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was actually Reika wrapped in her cloak.

"Reika!" Takeru rushed to her side and helped her up. "Are you alright?"

"Eh, yeah, somehow." Reika said as she shook her head and grinned at him. "So what brings you out here today?"

"I came here to find you." Takeru admitted.

Reika blushed and looked away. "Well, we can walk as we talk. I don't want to disturb Tuga and Chi."

"Sure." Takeru nodded and they walked back to Reika's hut and sat down by the banks of the river.

"How is your shoulder?" Takeru asked her after a while of silence.

"It's fine." Reika shrugged. "So is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Yes." Takeru nodded, looking serious. "Tomorrow, I have to go down to Aradia and stay there for a few weeks with my friends. We're going to find a way to bring down Yoshimitsu Kaidou."

Reika looked concerned at that. "And why are you telling me this?"

"One of our friends is unable to join us so I was hoping that you would come instead and help us. Given that you can use nature to bring you around quickly, we hope that you would help us bring our messages around."

Reika's jaw dropped at that and her heart began to ache. 'He came here just to ask me that?'

"I was hoping that you would help us once again. You saved Ban and the others back then, can you please consider helping us?" Takeru pleaded.

Reika turned away with a sad frown and processed her thoughts. 'I was hoping that Takeru would come out here because he wanted to play again, not asking me to join his campaign. But maybe if I go with him, I might be able to play with him…'

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, I come with you. But I have several conditions."

"What are they?"

"I won't talk to anyone but you, and you got to let me bring this family of kittens I adopted." Reika said with a triumph smile. Takeru sweatdropped at her conditions but nodded.

"Sure. I'll go back and tell them." He said, getting up and dusting his pants.

"Eh? So soon?" Reika whined.

"Sorry, but I'm very busy myself. I'll see you again tomorrow." Takeru gave her an apologetic smile.

Reika pouted but said nothing as Takeru left the forest. 'I really had fun the last time we played in the forest with Tuga and Chi. Don't you want to spend some time with me again?'

Reika pulled her cloak around her tighter and sighed. She was alone, she realized. There was always this feeling that she had in her heart that cannot be filled even with her company of the animals. And now, she understands what it is. It is the feeling of loneliness.


	42. Chapter 42

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **Author's note: Thank you everyone for waiting and I'm glad to say that I'll be working on this again alongside Hunt for the Element Stones. But for those of you who are waiting for the Landron Guild to be update, I'm sorry but I currently don't have the motivation to continue it. But as always, you are free to provide your input on it.**

* * *

Over at the Rouke household, we can see Vanessa cooking dinner while Mikhail was watching Mike. When Vanessa reached into the empty cupboard, she frowned and withdrew her hand. "Mikhail, did you restock our spices."

Mikhail frowned and looked up. "Sorry, but we're a bit tight on our finances. I haven't been able to obtain a job since we moved here so I'm trying to spread our finances as far as possible."

Vanessa sighed and resumed cooking. Mikhail saw this and after securing Mike in the play pen he made, he went over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry. But I'll try my best to find a way to earn money so that we don't have to worry about cutting back."

"It's alright." Vanessa leaned against him. "I understand. This is not like Machila where you can farm."

"But we'll think of something. Muraku would say that if he were here." Mikhail murmured, burring his head in Vanessa's shoulder.

"I know. But it's been a while since he left. And we haven't heard anything from him at all."

"I'm worried for him too." Mikhail nodded, releasing his hold on her. Vanessa removed the pot from the fire pit and doused the flames. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Who could it be?" Mikhail raised an eyebrow as he opened the door with Vanessa behind him. When he opened the door, he was slightly shock to see Reika with a huge basket by her side. "You are…"

"Muraku's friend." Reika said timidly.

"Oh, you're the one who helped us get to Wecasta earlier." Vanessa said in realization.

"Yeah." Reika shifted on her feet awkwardly. "Muraku told me about you and he asked me to give you something if he could not come back."

"What happened?" Mikhail frowned. "Where is he?"

"In Lambary." Reika gulped. "But you don't have to worry about him. It turns out, his mother is the ruler there and I heard that he stayed there so that his brother can escape. I'm not entirely sure about the details but he did ask me to give this to you." She reached into her basket and took out a letter and a small pouch.

Mikhail took the letter and let Vanessa take the pouch. As he opened the letter to read it, Vanessa opened the pouch and her eyes became wide in shock.

"Mikhail, Muraku gave us this." She said, showing him the pouch that was filled with gold coins.

Mikhail frowned and looked at the letter and back to Reika. "You said that he is in Lambary?"

"Yes." Reika slowly nodded. "But it would be best that you don't go there. The queen will kill you if you do. But Muraku will be fine. Like I said, his mother is the ruler there and she's treating him well."

"Who would have thought?" Vanessa shook her head. "I never would have thought that his mother is alive."

"He didn't know himself until recently." Reika said meekly.

Mikhail sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not surprise." He offered her a smile. "Thank you for telling us this."

"You're welcome." Reika mumbled, scratching the back of her head.

"Do you want to join us for lunch?" Vanessa offered.

"No, no thanks." Reika shook her head. "I should be going somewhere soon. Thank you."

"Don't hesitate to come and visit us." Vanessa smiled. Reika smiled weakly with a nod and left the premise. Once she was far enough, Reika let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Thank you feet for not running away." Reika muttered to herself. She was so scared to the point she was afraid that she would run away again like the time she had to deliver the message. Now she had to find mama cat and her kittens and then find Takeru. She let out a small sigh as she walked back in the direction of the forest.

* * *

"There you are." Reika mused softly as she picked up the mother cat in her hut. The mother cat purred while her kittens curled up against her legs. She gently placed the mother cat into her basket. Initially, the mother cat meowled loudly in protest but when Reika added her kittens inside, she quiet down and snuggled against them.

"Now to find Takeru." Reika mused. Unlike the last time, she knew how to get to the forge as she remembered the way so she managed to get there quickly. As she got closer, Takeru came out with Asuka behind him and smiled.

"Reika, you made it." He greeted her.

"So this is the amazing girl who helped Ban, right?" Asuka nudged him.

"Ah, yes." Takeru nodded. "Nee-san, this is Reika and Reika, this is my sister, Asuka."

Reika gulped and eyed her warily. Asuka did not notice this and grinned, grabbing her hand to shaking. "Nice to meet you."

Reika let out a yelp and ducked behind Takeru. Takeru sweatdropped and turned back to his sister. "Sorry about that. Reika can be very shy."

"I see." Asuka said slowly. She flashed a grin at Reika. "Anyways, thanks for agreeing on this."

"Um, sure." Reika shyly nodded.

"Well then, let's go!" Asuka pumped her fist and strode off to their home while Takeru and Reika followed behind from a distance.

"Sorry about that." Takeru whispered to Reika. "My sister can be rough but she's a nice person once you get to know her."

"I see." Reika said quietly, wondering if all this was worth spending time with Takeru. Movement in the basket indicated the mother cat seeking attention so Reika stuck her other hand into the basket for it to play with.

"What's inside?" Takeru asked curiously.

"Just the cat family I'm bringing along." Reika mumbled as she pulled back her hand and mother cat peaked out.

"Oh." Takeru stroke the car's head, making it purr.

Reika smiled at that. "You must have a touch with animals. Mother Cat doesn't let anyone touch her except me."

Takeru looked at her closely for a moment and asked, "Reika, is there anything wrong?"

"Nothing." Reika shook her head dully. "When are we leaving?"

"Soon." No sooner when Takeru said that, all of those who are going to Aradia came out.

"Reika." Arata greeted her, having recognized her. Reika nodded in reply but shifted closer to Takeru. Seeing this, Arata turned to the others instead. "Come on. We better get going before it gets dark."

"I'll see you guys soon." Ban wished them from the door. When he spotted Reika, he gave her a warm smile which Reika slowly returned with her own. Out of everyone there, the only person she felt that she could trust other than Takeru was Ban.

"We'll be going now." Arata called and they went to the caves. Reika looked around in fascination and ran her hand along the wall.

"I take it that you have never been here before." Takeru said, seeing her expression.

"No." Reika shook her head. "What are these places called?"

Takeru and nearly everyone fell over at that but it took him a moment to remember that Reika grew up in the forest and her communication with people was very scarce. So it would be natural that she was clueless on a lot of things.

"This place is call a cave." Takeru slowly explained. "They are made of rocks and enclose us. We are going to go down through tunnels to get to Aradia. Tunnels are paths in caves that leads us from one place to another."

"Oh." Reika nodded in understanding. She unconsciously stuck her hand into her basket as she digested this piece of information.

"Has she been living under a rock this whole time?" Kazu wondered.

"She just doesn't come out of the forest much." Takeru said in slight annoyance, especially since Reika heard what Kazu said and was hurt by it.

"I think it's cute that she's ignorant on a lot of things, so Takeru, we'll be counting on you to do the explaining." Asuka grinned and slapped his back, much to his surprise.

"Me?"

"She obviously trust you a lot. So it'll be natural that you'll be picked to do so." Hikaru said dully.

Takeru looked uneasily about that. But seeing Reika's pleading expression convinced him to do so. "Alright, if you say so."

Reika grinned at that and pounced him. "Thank you very much."

Takeru blushed much to his embarrassment as the other chuckled but Reika was completely oblivious to this.

* * *

Yoshimitsu Kaidou impatiently tapped the armrest of the throne as there were no news from Sir Kamiya or his men for the past week. He suddenly slammed down his fist on the armrest as his patience snapped.

"Sire, please calm down. Getting angry will only place more stress on your heart and you would collapse again." Seredy suggested.

"I know that!" Yoshimitsu Kaidou snapped. "But Jin and Yuno have not come back yet! And there is no news from Sir Kamiya at all! It makes me feel that all of them are conspiring against me!"

"No, the only one you have to blame for conspiracy is yourself." Queen Kinako spoke out of the blue as she mysteriously appeared at the entrance of the throne room, shocking the entire court but no more so than Yoshimitsu Kaidou.

"You!?" Yoshimitsu all but yelled as he turned pale. "What are you doing here!?"

"I am merely paying a visit." Queen Kinako's lips turned up into a cruel smirk. "Is there a crime against that?"

"Guards!" Yoshimitsu Kaidou shouted and almost all of the guards of the palace immediately swarmed the throne room. Among them was none other than Yuuya who was pressed against the end of the room since there was not enough space for all the guards.

Queen Kinako's smirk only grew as she subtly turned to Seredy and gave him a nod of her head. He nodded back and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the Bandit members that were smuggled into the palace by him jumped out of their hiding place and engaged the guards. In fact, their numbers were overwhelming that they slowly slain them and some of the advisors and important people of the court who were caught in the crossfire or were trying to fight back. Nobody noticed Yuuya escaping through the door amidst the chaos as he knew that they could not win and that he had to find Jin.

When all the fighting died down, Yoshimitsu Kaidou was shock to see that all of the palace guards and more than half of the advisors and nobles are dead at the hands of Bandit and Queen Kinako. It was too much for him to take in at once that his breathing became hoarse. "No…"

"Yes." Queen Kinako smirked and with her sword in hand, she walked over to the throne and pointed her sword at his throat.

"Killing me will not change anything. You'll never win." Yoshimitsu Kaidou snarled.

"That's where you are wrong." Queen Kinako purred. "Who do you think lured your grandson away and ensured that he'll never return? Who do you think seduced Sir Kamiya's men to betray their leader? Who do you think has taken away everything that is yours? I have already won a long time ago. But for now…I'll rather make you suffer than to grant you a painless death."

She removed her sword and turned to Bandit and Seredy. "We're leaving."

All of Bandit and Seredy bowed and followed her out the door. Once they were gone, Yoshimitsu Kaidou fell down from his throne clutching his heart.

Jii, one of the few advisors who survived quickly rushed to his side. "Sire, are you alright?"

But the former king was unable to answer as he had yet another heart attack. Recognizing this, Jii immediately called for the servants to bring him down to the doctors while others took care of the bodies of the slained soldiers and advisors.

* * *

Not too far from the palace, Yuuya could be seen trying to get as far from the palace as possible. He felt bad for leaving Jessica behind but it had to be done if he wanted to find Jin.

"Jin…I know that you're alive somewhere." Yuuya muttered to himself. Despite what Jin believed, he understood his reasons from avoiding him and Jessica because he could see it in his eyes that he didn't want to do it. He could only guess that his grandfather had something to do with it.

"But where are you?" He wondered, questioning on where in the world his friend could be. But in the end, he ended up going east as he followed the speculation of his gut.


	43. Redemption

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"Is he awake yet?" Jii asked the doctor.

"No." The doctor shook his head. "To be honest, I have very little hope that he will live long even if he wakes up at all."

"I see." Jii said somberly. "I have ordered the armies in other territories to return to guard the palace. That way, we will be more prepared if that queen tries to strike again."

"And what should we do regarding the king?" The doctor questioned. "I don't know about sire, but I believe his highness has the right to know that his grandfather is dying."

"I had the people continue the search but given that he's purposely avoiding sire, it'll be like finding a needle in a haystack."

A soft groan made them snap their heads at the king as his eyes slowly opened.

"Sire." Jii and the doctor helped him up.

"It's all over." He moaned. "Queen Kinako has taken everything that belongs to me…my empire is over."

"If I may be so bold, sire, all this was brought on by yourself." The doctor suddenly spoke up, startling Jii and Yoshimitsu Kaidou. "Your fall, as you put it, is the results of your evil deeds. Had you not killed King Houjou all those years ago, Queen Kinako would not be after your blood. Had you not killed King Yamano, his children would not be so set on dethroning you and made Wecasta your enemy. Had you not treated His highness and Muraku cruelly, they would not have left you. So you see, everything you did has come back to haunt you."

"As much as I hate to admit it, he speaks the truth." Jii added. "You may punish us for such treasonous words, but they are but the truth."

Yoshimitsu Kaidou was silent as he mulled over their words. Finally, he raised his hand. "Leave me alone."

"…Yes, sire." They bowed and left, leaving the man to his thoughts.

For the first time in his life, Yoshimitsu Kaidou was feeling regret. What the doctor said was nothing but the truth. Looking back, it was his greed and arrogance that landed him in this situation. His plans were falling apart and Jin had seen through his ideals and is probably dead. Oh why must he be so power hungry nineteen years ago when he learned about the properties of the Jade Crown? Had he not learned about it, he would never set down this path. It is too late to change…or was it?

He straightened up as he realized what he had to do.

* * *

"What's this?" Yuuya wondered as he took down the poster some Empiren messengers posted on the walls of every building they could see in the town he was currently hiding out. His eyes became wide in disbelieve when he read it.

 _Jin, I'm sorry. Please come back._

 _-Lord Yoshimitsu Kaidou_

"What is going on here!?" Yuuya said, startled. He wondered if Yoshimitsu Kaidou had hit his head during Bandit's attack on the palace. Anyway, he decided to keep the poster and continue his search for Jin.

The same thoughts ran through Arata's head when he also saw the poster. After arriving at Aradia, they decided to hide out at a secluded town at the outskirts of the kingdom and strangely, they found that there were no guards. Later, they found out about the attack on the palace and that all of the armies in the kingdom were called back to the palace.

"What the heck!?" He exclaimed and rubbed his eyes to make sure that he did not read wrong.

"What's wrong?" Reika asked and peaked over his shoulder. Her face fell and she turned to him. "What does it say?"

Arata would have fell over if it was anyone else but he knew by now that Reika was clueless about a lot of things and illiterate. So he made a gesture for her to wait. "I want everyone here first. I'll explain then."

"Ok." Reika said slowly and cocked her head around the room. With the exception of Takeru and Asuka, most of them were already here. She shuddered all of the sudden and backed up into a corner. The atmosphere was too much for her. It was all serious business and there will always be many people around her…The more she thought about it, the more she began regretting her decision. It didn't help that Takeru was always busy and could not spend time with her.

"What happened?" Takeru asked when he and Asuka came in, seeing Arata's serious expression.

"This." Arata said, showing them the poster, making everyone's eyes become wide.

"…I may not be a huge fan of Jin, but this has got to be the cruelest trick Yoshimitsu Kaidou is pulling on him." Kazu finally said.

"But this doesn't mean anything to us, doesn't it?" Hikaru said off-handedly.

"It does to me." Arata spoke up unexpectedly. "I'm going to see Yoshimitsu Kaidou myself."

"What!?" Nearly everyone in the room exclaimed.

"Arata, that's foolish!" Kazu protested.

"It isn't." Arata said nonchalantly. "He can't do anything since all of his guards are gone and the army will take some time before they reach the palace."

"But still…"

"I want answers." Arata said firmly. "We won't get anything if we just stay here."

"I'll come with you." Hikaru suddenly spoke up. "You're not the only one who needs answers."

Arata frowned but nodded understandingly, knowing that Hikaru was talking about Hikari's death. Takeru visibly tensed and clenched his fist. As much as he wanted to go with them, he figured that he should stay back instead.

Reika on the other hand was hurt because Arata had unintentionally did so by not explaining to her what they were discussing about. It made her believe that she was nothing more than a transporter for them and not a person herself. So she managed to slip out unnoticed and went over to the tree she hide mother cat and her kittens. As soon as it sensed her, mother cat came out of its den with two of its kittens beside her.

"Mother cat." Reika dropped down on her knees and hugged the three felines tightly. "I want to go back. I don't want to stay here anymore. They are all unfriendly and even Takeru doesn't want to spend time with me."

Mother cat could only give her a sympathetic meow and snuggled closer to her. It's a pity it could not talk like humans or it would have been able to comfort her.

* * *

"Here we are." Hikaru stated when he and Arata came to a halt in front of the palace. With all of the guards gone, they could only post servants at the door to alert them if someone comes until the army returns but they were looking fearfully at Hikaru and Arata due to the grim look on their faces and the powerful aura they were emitting.

"Let's go." Arata said softly and went inside. He could tell that Hikaru had the same feeling of nostalgia for it has been years since they fled the palace to avoid being killed by their parents. While the exterior did not change much, the people had certainly changed since Yoshimitsu Kaidou killed every single one of the servants of their time because he was afraid of rebellion.

Hikaru and Arata did not have any problems in getting to the throne room and Yoshimitsu Kaidou was not surprise the slightest to see them.

"Leave." He ordered Jii and the other servants. They were surprise by the order but obeyed nevertheless.

"I know why you are here." Yoshimitsu Kaidou said once they were alone.

"Really?" Arata said sarcastically. "I have to say, if your posters are a trap to lure Jin Kaidou back here, then I have to say that it's a very cruel one despite the fact that I don't like him."

"…It's not a trap." Yoshimitsu Kaidou sighed. "It's the truth. But I don't expect you to believe it."

"How can we when you killed my parents?" Arata said darkly. "And I'm willing to bet that you were the one who killed Hikari."

"I won't deny that."

"What did you do to her?" Hikaru asked in a low voice.

"I laced her room with a poison that does not take effect unless the victim is exposed to it for long periods of time. When I knew that she was going to die because of the effects, I sent Jin and Muraku on that mission to Misora Town. I wanted you to see her die before your eyes and show you how powerless you actually are." He admitted.

If Hikaru didn't have as much self-control as he did, he would have murdered Yoshimitsu Kaidou for that. Arata glared at him heatedly and observed the court. He noted that there were still blood splatters all around and turned back to the former king. "Then what is your story with Queen Kinako? What did you do that made her hate you so much?"

"It was my greed and arrogance that made me commit the biggest sin of my life." Yoshimitsu Kaidou slowly stood up and stared out of the window in Lambary's direction. "I was an advisor for the great King Mitsuki Houjou since my youth. He was a wise king with only love for his people and his wife. However, when he had created the Jade Crown for her, I was filled with lust for power, believing that the crown should be mine as they will never understand the power of the crown. That's why I killed him."

"You killed him!?" Arata and Hikaru said in shock, now understanding the reason behind the queen's actions against against him.

"Yes. And then, I took the Jade Crown and fled here. You know the rest of the story. I became power-hungry and took the crown from Juichiro Yamano. And then I began my conquering spree in an effort to build a wall around myself against Queen Kinako. But I was wrong. I now know that it was my greed and lust for power that landed me in this state. The poster is a good proof of that."

"As if we would believe you." Hikaru said coldly. "You lied to King Yamano all those years ago and stabbed him in the back."

"We have no choice though." Arata spoke up unexpectedly.

"Arata?!" Hikaru looked at his friend in shock.

"If we leave Aradia as it is, there is no doubt that Queen Kinako will return to destroy it. Even with the army, I doubt that it will be able to withstand her and Bandit. We have to tell Queen Renneton about this." He explained and narrowed his eyes at Yoshimitsu Kaidou. "Know this though, I'm doing this only for the people of Aradia. They don't deserve to face the queen's wrath because of your actions. If you really want to right your wrongs, I suggest that you start by taking corrective actions for your mistakes."

"I assure you that that's what I intend to do." Yoshimitsu Kaidou promised.


	44. Chapter 44

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Meanwhile with Ban's group, they continued to trek towards Lambary, unaware of Arata's shaky alliance with Yoshimitsu Kaidou or the fact that they were close to Bandit's camp.

"How much farther?" Haruki asked their leader.

"Just a little more." Ban answered.

"Will the queen listen to you though?" Hiro wondered. "I mean, she's the kind of person who would kill you on sight."

"I can only hope that she would not do so." Ban sighed.

"Luckily for you, I'm in a good mood today so I won't be doing that."

Everyone jumped and huddled around in a circle. Bandit soon appeared and surrounded them. Kinako flipped out of her spot in the trees and landed in front of them with a smirk.

"How foolish of you to return here, Ban Yamano." She sneered.

"I came here with a proposal." Ban said quietly.

"And what makes you think that I will even listen to your proposal?" Queen Kinako said boredly. "Take them back to my palace."

"As you wish." Seredy bowed and waved his hand. His men instantly stripped them of their weapons before tying them up to be lead back to the palace.

"Ban, I don't think this is a good idea after all. Queen Kinako is not willing to listen to us and who knows what she'll do when she brings us to Lambary." Ran whispered to him.

"I know." Ban let out a soft groan. "I didn't think that it would end up like this."

"Less talking!" One of the men growled at them, pointing his sword at Ban.

Ban and Ran kept quiet after that but everyone was worried of what would happen to them.

* * *

"Mama is gone for too long." Mia grumbled as she rocked Nana around the main room of the palace.

Muraku could only sigh as he looked up from his reading and spoke, "Be patient Mia. Whatever Mother has to do, I'm sure that she'll come back immediately after she's done. Besides, I don't think your impatience will help Nana."

"Who asked you?" Mia muttered. Yuko could only sigh from her position at the corner of the room. Despite what Queen Kinako hoped, Mia and Muraku were no closer than before mainly because Mia was still jelous and suspicious of Muraku while Muraku kept a respectable distance from her when he's not helping her take care of Nana.

She looked up however when she saw Bandit's men coming in with their prisoners and Queen Kinako in the front. She frowned and turned to Mia and Muraku. "Your mother is back."

Muraku frowned at the grim tone she was using and looked out the window as well. His eyes became wide when he saw Ban and the others. 'What are they doing here?! They shouldn't have come back.'

But Mia only saw her mother when she looked out. She grinned and ran out to greet her, unaware that Muraku and Yuko was following behind her but for different reasons. Yuko soon separated from them at the kitchen and leapt out of the window to get down faster.

"Yuko, what is it?" Queen Kinako asked crossly, not appreciating that Yuko had jumped out of the window.

"Mia and Muraku are coming down." Yuko said in a hurry.

Queen Kinako's eyes became wide and turned to Seredy. "Leave the prisoners to me. Have your men leave this place at once."

"As you wish." Seredy bowed and hurriedly got his men out of the compound just as Mia and Muraku emerged from the palace. Queen Kinako sighed in relief for she did not want Mia to find out about Bandit just yet and she knew Muraku would not speak of them to her.

"Mama!" Mia cried and rushed to hug her, careful not to crush Nana in her embrace.

"Mia!" Queen Kinako hugged back and pecked on Nana's forehead. She gave Muraku a warm smile and hugged him as well. "I'm glad to see you two again."

"Mother, why are they here?" Muraku gestured at Ban and the others warily.

"They crossed the border without an invitation." Queen Kinako said nonchalantly. "That is why they must be executed tonight."

"What?!" Ban hissed. "You cannot do this. We are part of a diplomatic force of Wecasta. You cannot do this and not expect Queen Renneton to retaliate."

"Like I would care." Queen Kinako shrugged.

"Mother, please. Don't do this." Muraku pleaded. "If you do so, then war will come to us and where will that leave us? We will never be able to revive Lambary and Nana and Mia will be in great danger."

Queen Kinako frowned in thought at that while Mia turned her glare at Ban's group. They could see her clearly now and were amazed by how similar she looked with Muraku. Her eyes ran over them and they became wide when they landed on Haruki. "You?"

Haruki lifted his head and raised an eyebrow while Queen Kinako whipped around and followed her daughter's gaze on Haruki. She growled and lifted him up by the collar. "Mia, you know him?"

"Yes." Mia nodded hesitantly. "When I was in Wecasta, I was cornered by several men and he chased them off before I could act."

If anyone was looking closely, they would have seen Queen Kinako cast a cold look at her daughter that lasted a second. "I see. In that case, what do you propose?"

"Let him and his friends remain under house arrest." Mia suggested. "Once we are sure that they have no ill intentions, then we can let them go."

Queen Kinako scowled inwardly at that. As much as she wanted to execute them, she knew Mia and Muraku would protest against this. Not to mention, while she did not mind war, she knew that she had to consider Nana too since she's currently her only heir after Muraku and Mia and her granddaughter. If war were to happen, there is a possibility that she, and maybe even her children, will not survive it. So with great reluctance, she released Haruki and said begrudgingly. "Fine, we'll go for that. But if they show any signs of wanting to harm us, I will have them executed immediately."

She turned to Yuko and nodded. So Yuko produced a knife and cut the ropes bonding them. Ban let out an inaudible sigh of relief and turned to Queen Kinako. "Thank you for sparing us."

"Look, the only reason why you are alive is because Mia and Muraku wants me to." Queen Kinako warned them. "You better watch you steps because you are still my prisoners. One false step and you and your friends will die."

"Of course." Ban bowed, not feeling scared the least.

"Bring them to the empty rooms and have the windows bared and the doors locked." Queen Kinako ordered Yuko.

"As you wish." Yuko bowed and led them inside.

"Wait." Queen Kinako raised her hand as she thought of something. "I have words to speak with Ban Yamano. Take the others to their rooms and come to the main room." She turned to Mia and Muraku and waved her hand. "You two are free to do as you like."

"Yes, mama/mother." Mia and Muraku bowed and went back inside.

* * *

"Queen Kinako, I would like to extend this request for help." Ban said once they reached the main room. "Queen Renneton has offered to release Lambary's territory back to you if you will agree to help us take down Yoshimitsu Kaidou."

"Do you think that I am a fool?" Queen Kinako snapped from her seat. "Wecasta has given me no reason to trust them. You are too soft to think that everything will be solved by throwing Yoshimitsu Kaidou into jail. I will take him down my way and I refuse to accept Queen Renneton's help. She never helped me when my country was falling and took the spoils of it instead." She said coldly.

"There must be a mistake." Ban protested. "Queen Renneton is not that kind of person…"

"Silence!" Queen Kinako barked. "If you do not want to endanger your friends, never speak of this to me again!"

Ban fell silent and wondered if he could ever persuade Queen Kinako to let go of her grudge for Yoshimitsu Kaidou like this.

"Your grace." Yuko said softly as she came in.

"Yuko, bring him to his room." Queen Kinako waved them away irritably. "We're done."

"As you wish." Yuko bowed and led Ban out.

Ban let out a sigh as he was led to his room. Yuko tilted her head at him and asked, "Is there anything wrong?"

"Ah, no." Ban shook his head and lowered his head. "It's just that, I was hoping that Queen Kinako would let go of her grudge and help us."

"She is a very stubborn person. Once she sets her heart on something, she will not stop until she achieves it." Yuko said politely. "And I did not mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard your conversation with her grace. Don't take her words to heart. The reason why Wecasta and Aradia could not help Lambary is because there was a famine at that time so they could not extend help to us."

"What?" Ban said in surprise. "But still…"

"From what I was told, Queen Kinako was not always like this. But losing her husband made her turn dark." Yuko sighed. "That is why she always sees others at fault whether they can help it or not."

Ban pursed his lips together at that. "I suppose it means that Queen Kinako will not back down easily?"

"No." Yuko shook her head.

Ban sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I'm beginning to wonder if she's right. Am I too soft to think that she will stop because of compassion?"

"I encourage you not to give up." Yuko said unexpectedly. "What Queen Kinako needs is not compassion, but time. However, I advise that you start with Mia. If she can be persuaded, then Queen Kinako will eventually understand too."

Ban looked at her curiously. "Why are you telling me this?"

Yuko paused in front of a door and pushed it open. "Because I want what's best for Mia and Lambary. A pointless war for revenge will not help that." She merely said and pushed him in. "This will be your room. I will leave you to it. Your meals will be brought over three times a day but I advise against trying anything funny." She said and then closed the door, locking it before leaving.

Ban sighed and sat down on the bed. "What should I do now?"


	45. Chapter 45

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

"Hush, Nana." Mia gently rocked her squirming daughter in her arms and let out a small grimace when her daughter's tiny fist accidentally hit her bruised cheek. Not too long before, her mother had come in and scolded her for being incompetent as she put it during her visit to Wecasta and not fight off the men who were about to harass her but allowed someone to save her. Although in her defense, she did not anticipate that Haruki would even show up and 'save' her which is why her mother only left her with a soft punishment as compared to usual.

"Mia, why do you have that bruise?" Muraku asked when he came in quietly.

"Nothing." Mia growled.

Muraku did not buy it and took Nana from her instead. Instantly, the infant calmed down. Mia felt a surging jealousy in her to see her daughter preferring her uncle over her own mother. But Muraku saw it and shook his head. "Mia, look at you. Nana can sense that you are unhappy about something which is why she won't calm down around you. What did mother do to you?"

"It's her form of discipline for me being incompetent as she puts it." Mia growled, sinking on to the bed. "Because that guy stepped in before I could finish off the men who were about to harass me, she thinks that I'm not skilled enough to take care of myself outside of Lambary."

Muraku frowned at that and placed a hand on Mia's unbruised cheek. "This is wrong. It is no different from child abuse. You shouldn't put up with this at all."

Mia scowled and swatted away his hand. "You have no idea of what our mother is like. Yes, she can be brutal but only when she's angry. Other times, she really cares for us and our people. I think those off-landers did something to provoke her."

'I wouldn't be surprise by that.' Muraku thought mildly, knowing that his mother would definitely refuse any kind of peace talks with Ban and fly into furry at him. But he did not voice it out and cleared his throat. "Why don't you take some time to go into town? I can take care of Nana until you get back. Use this time to wait for mother to calm down before seeing her again."

Mia frowned at him and did not budge but Muraku was already out the door with Nana. He did have a point with that and as much as she did not want to admit it, she was secretly scared to see her mother again if she was still angry. So she mulled over her options and let a small smile settle in. "I might as well ask him to come along."

* * *

Haruki looked up when the door was opened and was surprised to see Mia at the door. She was now dressed in purple robes like her mother and her jewelry was reduced to only her amethyst necklace and her head chain. Her short swords were visibly strapped to her belt now and the bruise was now hidden under a layer of light makeup.

"Come." She merely beckoned him to follow her. Haruki followed her warily and she led him out of the palace towards town.

"Princess, where are we going?" Haruki finally asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"To town." Mia said nonchalantly. "I don't mind having company but I decided to have you come with me instead of the guards. You proved to be more competent than them given how you managed to humiliate me by not allowing me to finish those men off."

Haruki flinched at that and looked at her carefully. "Are you still angry about that?"

"No." Mia shook her head with a tiny smile. "I don't mind it. I realized if you did not step in, I would have gotten a lot of problems from both my mother and Queen Renneton." She paused and turned to him. "I just realized that I haven't gotten your name."

"Haruki Izumo, princess." He said politely.

"Haruki, hm." Mia hummed. "Then call me Mia."

Haruki looked at her in surprise and wanted to protest but Mia waved her hand. "Just call me that when no one is around. I barely have any friends who would call me by name. And I think we are going to get along well."

"…If you say so, Mia." Haruki relented. They walked in comfortable silence when they reached the town. Mia's eyes lingered around the stores as she remembered the time she spent with her late husband here on their dates before they got married.

"I have been here since you died." She whispered to herself.

"What?" Haruki cocked his head at her.

Realizing that she spoke out loud, Mia shook her head. "Nothing. I was just thinking about my late husband. We used to come here all the time before my daughter came and he died."

"You were married?" Haruki said in mild surprise.

"Yeah." Mia nodded like it wasn't a big deal. "But I'm over it. So don't worry."

Haruki frowned at her, not believing it one bit but she soon stopped when they came across an arena where people were dueling.

"What is this place?" Haruki muttered.

"Our dueling arena." Mia shrugged. "Mother wants our people to learn to defend themselves so she had this arena built so that the people can do sparing and weapon training here. In the past, Lambary was a sole miner kingdom so we didn't focus much on military so my mother wants to change that."

Haruki continued to watch the duel and soon, one of the fighters was defeated. He relented his weapon to his opponent and got off the arena before another challenger came. "Why did he give his weapon to the winner?"

"That's because in our culture, our weapons are not only weapons. They represent our strength and individuality. For him to give his opponent his weapons shows that he recognizes his strength." Mia explained. "I used to participate in these duels but stopped since I'm not as fit as I've used to be after giving birth. Truth to be told, I am thankful for that. My mother used to say that if I lost one duel here, it means that I'm no longer worthy to be the princess of Lambary and that she would make me and Nana leave the area if that happens."

Haruki looked at her in alarm. "Is your mother really that cruel? I know of some of the things she had done but to do this to her own daughter…"

"She's not like that!" Mia vehemently denied and continued walking. "She meant it as an empty threat. But it also drove me to become stronger."

She paused at one of the stalls filled with various ornaments and jewelry and looked at him. She smirked and then purchased a gold bangle. "Here." She said, giving it to him.

Haruki's eyes became wide as she fastened it on his wrist. "Mi-Princess Mia, I can't take this." He quickly corrected himself, mindful of the stall keeper who was watching them.

But Mia waved it off and gestured for him to follow her before the nosy stall keeper could make any assumptions. Once they were far away from anyone on their way back to the palace, Mia smiled at him. "Consider it as a thank you gift for helping me that day at Wecasta and for accompanying me out today."

Haruki is surprise by this as he saw the side of Mia he saw that day at Wecasta. It was the friendly side and not the hot headed side of her. He smiled back and nodded. "Thank you. The pleasure is all mine."

* * *

Over at Wecasta, in the clearing of the forest, the wind picked up for a brief moment before it died down, revealing Takeru and Arata who could barely stand on their feet and a very disgruntled Reika.

"Could you have warned us that looking at the winds makes us dizzy?" Takeru groaned.

"You didn't ask." Reika said curtly and jumped onto a tree. "Take your time with whatever you have to do. I'll be here."

Arata and Takeru exchanged glances before heading to the palace.

"What's gotten into her?" Arata wondered.

"I don't know." Takeru shook his head, not understanding why Reika was acting like she was.

"You should talk to her. I mean, you're the only one who can reach her." Arata suggested.

"In case you haven't noticed, it's becoming harder for me to reach her ever since we went to Aradia." Takeru groaned.

"Well, you'll have to ask her about it later." Arata remarked as they stopped at the gates of the palace. "While you wait for me, why don't you talk to her?"

Takeru took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. But I'm not sure that I can do that without her blowing up at me."

"Good luck then." Arata said drily and went inside.

* * *

Queen Renneton narrowed her eyes in suspicion when Arata gave his report regarding the 'alliance' with Yoshimitsu Kaidou. "I don't believe that he would turn around overnight that easily."

"I know. But I felt that we have no other choice in the matter. Yoshimitsu Kaidou is admittingly the lesser evil between him and Queen Kinako. She is clearly the stronger party out of the both of them given how she controls Bandit and they managed to slain all the palace guards and more than half of the advisors of the Kaidou court." Arata explained.

"We heard about that." Queen Renneton frowned and shook her head. "And I still cannot believe it."

"Queen Renneton, this may be our only chance to obtain Aradia back. If we can convince Queen Kinako that Yoshimitsu Kaidou has really fallen through this, she might let go of revenge." Arata tried to convince her.

"I see. And as much as I am skeptical about Yoshimitsu Kaidou's intentions, we have very little options on our plate." She turned to Yuusuke and Takuya and nodded. "Send garrisons to Aradia. See to it that it is defended against Bandit. If the Kaidou soldiers try anything funny, do not hesitate to fight back."

"As you wish, your highness." Both men bowed.

* * *

Reika remained perched on the tree, fuming at how Takeru was always busy to the point he doesn't even talk to her at all. Even Muraku was not this bad as her friend. He always kept her company whenever he was around despite his multiple obligations to Mikhail's family and finding the truth behind Bandit.

"Reika!" Takeru called out and she reluctantly dropped down.

"Time to go?" She asked even though Arata was not with him.

"No. Reika, I want to know if there's something bothering you." Takeru told her.

"It's nothing." Reika huffed.

"It wouldn't be nothing if you weren't acting like we did something wrong." Takeru pressed.

"Alright!" Reika threw her hands up in defeat. "There is something wrong! You of all people should know that!"

"Reika…"

"I agreed to join you in your quest to Aradia because I thought you were my friend!" Reika yelled right at his face. "But instead, you treated me like your transporter and you were always busy to the point I felt like I was a stranger to you and to all of your friends!"

Takeru held up his hands in defense but he could not find the words to argue with that. True, he had been busy but he had to remind himself that she is under his charge and he should have helped her better.

"I'm back." Arata suddenly spoke up when he arrived back at the clearing. "We can go back now."

Reika scowled and took out her flute to bring them back. This time, however, she was definitely not going to remain with them anymore. So as the wind picked up, Takeru and Arata shield their eyes to prevent themselves from becoming nauseous as they got back to the clearing behind the house they were staying. But before either of them could say anything to Reika, she immediately played a random tune and left.

"Reika!" Takeru tried to stop her but the wind blew him off his feet and by the time it settled, she was gone. "Where is she?"

"I don't know." Arata shook his head in disbelieve. "But I think she's not coming back."


	46. Chapter 46

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

It has been days since Yuuya had set off to find Jin and he was still no closer in finding him. Also, he noted that he was getting further and further from the border and this worried him. Nevertheless, he decided to trust his instincts and continued to push forward.

"Jin, where are you?" He wondered as he pushed through some bushes. The wind started to pick up for a second before it died down, making him frown. "Strange."

But in the end, he shrugged it off and continued his trek. But he did not walk far before something ran out of a bush and collided into him.

"Ow!" He cried as he and the 'thing' fell down.

"Sorry!" Reika quickly apologized and scrambled off him. Yuuya's eyes became wide as he recognized her. He jumped away and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"You were with the princess of Lambary that day when Lord Kaidou first collapsed!"

Reika blinked owlishly at him and then merely turned away, continuing wandering. "Where are we by the way?"

"I don't know." Yuuya said warily, wondering why she wasn't attacking him like she did that day. He was lucky that he was assigned to the barracks that day or he would have been caught in the fight that ensured throughout the palace.

"Oh. I must have misplayed a note." She muttered to herself, wandering farther away from Yuuya but he could still make out her mutterings. "I want to go back to Wecasta but I don't want to go back yet."

"You're from Wecasta?" Yuuya said in surprise.

"Yeah." Reika nodded absentmindedly.

"I thought you were from Lambary like the princess." Yuuya said with slight suspicion.

"No." Reika shook her head as she continued to wander further away, Yuuya slightly behind her. "Grew up and lived in Wecasta's forest all my life. I was only tagging along Mia."

Yuuya found it hard to believe how casual she was in saying this. But from what he observed, she was naïve and almost childish. It almost made him let down his guard around her. However, he was still wary of her and continued to rest his hand on his sword's hilt to be on the safe side.

"Oh look." Reika said, pointing out at the same abandon farmhouse which Jin and Hana were hiding out, not that they knew. "That place is bigger than my hut."

Yep, definitely childish, Yuuya decided. But he supposed it didn't hurt to have a change like this instead of the bossy, ruthless guards he had to work with.

"Yuuya?"

Yuuya froze at the voice that called him and turned around, shock to see Jin who had an equally shocked look to see his one-time friend. "Jin?"

Reika cocked her head around and shifted her gaze between them. "Am I missing something?"

* * *

Jin and Yuuya sat silently in the farmhouse, not saying a word. Reika peaked in from the window outside and shook her head. Despite not understanding the situation, she figured it was best not to interfere and follow Hana's example and stayed outside. Meanwhile, the huntress had decided to go hunting as to avoid Yuuya given that he was still smarted at the fact she's a rebel and she did not want to get into a pointless, one-sided argument with him.

"I'm not surprise to find you here." Yuuya finally said. "This would be the kind of place which you would love to stay."

Jin let out a wry smile at that. "With our options scarce, we have to make do with what we have."

Yuuya let out a small breath at that. "So what exactly happened when you left? It can't be simply because you want to run away. The queen of Lambary came by a few days ago and implied that you were dead."

Jin lowered his head guiltily. "I'm sorry. But I don't want to talk about it now."

Yuuya observed him carefully but did not push it. He knew it had to be something that shook Jin badly. Instead, he changed the subject. "Jin, please be honest with me. Did you really not want to be friends with me when you started ignoring me five years ago?"

Jin flinched at that, remembering how much it had hurt Yuuya and Jessica just to treat them as ordinary servants and guards instead of friends just because he did not want his grandfather to harm them. So in a subdue voice, he shook his head and said, "No. Grandfather implied that he would hurt you and Jessica if I continued to talk to you like friends."

'So that's why.' Yuuya mentally sighed. It wasn't a surprise to him that Jin would go through such measures just to protect them. In a way, he was similar to Muraku that they'll do anything to protect their friends.

"Can you forgive me for everything that I've done?" Jin asked quietly.

Yuuya looked at his friend closely and smiled. He could tell that Jin had been through a lot over the past five years and he can understand that he wanted to protect him and Jessica even though it hurt them. "I already have. Otherwise, I would not have come all the way here to find you."

Jin let out a weak smile at that. "Thank you."

Yuuya returned it with a strong squeeze on Jin's shoulder. "You don't have to thank me. I did what you wold have done." He became seirous and pulled out the poster he saved from his pocket. "There is something you should know. During your absence, Queen Kinako of Lambary came with Bandit and raided the palace."

"What?!" Jin shot up in shock. "Was anyone hurt?"

Yuuya hesitated before continuing. "All of the palace guards except for me were killed. I ran away at that time because I knew that we would not be able to win against them and I had to find you. And from what I heard, Lord Yoshimitsu collapsed again."

Jin clenched his fist and his knees were shaking badly that Yuuya thought that he could not stand up but Jin managed to sit back down on the rickety chair. "Is he alright?"

"I think so if he managed to get this distributed all over the kingdom." Yuuya said mildly, handing the poster to him. Jin ran his eyes over it and they became wide in disbelieve.

"This is…"

"I don't know if he had hit his head during Bandit's visit. But I think you should go back and see him. Rumors say that he may not live long after this." Yuuya told him carefully.

Jin's mouth dropped open and he shifted his gaze from Yuuya to the poster. He had no desire to see the man who built him up so high only to pull him down with his evil desires. But there is no way he can deny that Yoshimitsu Kaidou was the one who raised him since his parents died. In a way, he owed him one last visit before he died.

"Alright. I'll go back with you." Jin finally decided.

* * *

An hour later, Hana had returned from her hunting and was slightly disappointed to see Jin outside with a small bag slung over his shoulder.

"Sorry Hana." He said apologetically as he pulled her aside so that Yuuya could not hear them. "Grandfather is dying. I have to go back and see him one last time."

Hana's face retained its neutrality but he could see that her eyes were troubled. _'Why? You said that you don't want to go back.'_

"I have to see him." Jin said a little more forcefully this time. "I owe him that much."

Hana observed him for a moment and signed. _'If you feel that way, I'm not going to stop you. But I'm not going back with you.'_

"Why?" Jin's voice cracked.

 _'Because that is not my place.'_ Hana signed with a sigh. _'I'm better off here than there.'_

"I understand." Jin said quietly after a while of thought. "But I will come back here. Maybe when my duty is done at the Empire, we can come back here and make our home here."

 _'I would love that.'_ Hana gave him a watery smile and hugged him. Jin promptly hugged back and pressed his lips on her temple.

"We'll see each other again soon. I promise that." Jin whispered into her ear.

Hana nodded and released him. He gave her one last look before heading back to Yuuya. Together, they left the farmhouse and went back to Aradia.

'Stay safe, Jin. I have a bad feeling about you leaving.' She thought to herself, wishing him to be safe.

* * *

Reika watched Jin and Yuuya leave before shifting her gaze to Hana. She could not understand the situation but from what she could see, Jin and Yuuya almost resembled Muraku before he faced something dire. This would explain why Hana was sad.

"Man, why are humans so confusing?" Reika wondered, not entirely aware that she was referring to herself as well. She then thought of something and her hands flew to her mouth. "Uh oh! I forgot that I have to go back to Machila and check on Muraku's friend!"

She headed to the back of the farmhouse and played the tune which she usually used to get to Machila. In no time at all, she arrived at her favorite part of the Machilian forest.

"Man, I miss this place." She said to herself as she headed down towards the Rouke's former residence, deciding that she should start her patrol there. "It never gets old to come here."

A loud scuffle caught her attention and she slowly made her way around the house where the sound came from. She gasped silently when she saw that two Bandits had restrained Kageto between them and the leader standing in front of him.

"Where is the Rouke family?" The leader demanded.

"Like I would tell you." Kageto hissed through gritted teeth.

The leader narrowed his eyes and punched him across the face. Reika's eyes became wide and she quickly slipped her jian sword out from her belt and ran in. "Let him go!"

The Bandits jerked their heads at her but she was faster and got behind the leader, knocking him out with the hilt of her sword. She flipped over and landed two deep cuts on the two Bandit's hands that were holding Kageto with a slice of her sword, causing them to howl in pain.

Kageto's eyes were wide in shock at Reika's actions as she kicked the Bandit on the left with a high jump kick. The bandit on the right tried to get his sword out with his uninjured hand but Reika threw her sword down and punched him straight in the face.

"Not so tough now, huh?" She taunted as the Bandit's eyes rolled back and he fell back unconscious.

Kageto went over to the leader and searched his pockets. Reika looked at him curiously. "What are you looking for?"

"They mentioned that they have a list of people they want to capture and I have a feeling that my friends are on it as well. Thanks for the save, by the way." He explained and found the said scroll in the leader's pocket. He quickly read it and his face darkened. "I have to get to Wecasta and warned them. Bandit would most likely attack them next."

"I can take you there." Reika offered.

"But how?" Kageto asked.

Reika beckoned him to step away from the Bandits and she took out her flute. Kageto's eyes became wide as he realized something. "You are the friend that Muraku told us about."

"Oh, he told you?" Reika asked with a cock of an eyebrow and shrugged, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That makes things easier. I'm Reika. When the wind picks up, don't look up."

Before he could question it, Reika had played the tune to get to Wecasta and in a second, they were gone.


	47. Chapter 47

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

By the time Kageto and Reika arrived at Wecasta, the sun was setting so they quickly rushed out of the forest to the Rouke's household.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone around here." Reika noted, observing their environment. "I don't think Bandit knows that they are here."

"But it's only a matter of time before they do." Kageto pointed out. When they arrived at the cottage, Kageto quickly knocked. When the door opened, Mikhail was visibly shock to see his friend here.

"Kageto? I thought you were in Machila?"

"I brought him here after Bandit attacked him." Reika explained as she pushed Kageto inside, shutting the door behind her. "We think that Bandit may be after your family as well."

Mikhail became very pale and Vanessa came out with Mike in her arms. She too was shock to see them but was even more so to see Mikhail's terrified expression.

"What's going on?" She asked worriedly.

"Un'le Ka'e'to!" Mike wiggled out of his mother's arms and hugged the said red hair.

"Hey squirt." Kageto forced a smile and turned to Vanessa. "Bandit is what. They are coming after us."

Vanessa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Why!?"

"I don't know." Kageto shook his head frustratedly. "But the good thing is, they don't know where you are otherwise they would not have tried to ask me that."

"That might change now." Reika spoke up from the window. "Bandit's here."

Mikhail and Kageto rushed to the window as well. They could not see anything for a moment but a movement caught their eye and they saw several people dressed in black darting around the cottage.

"Vanessa, bring Mike and Kageto to the basement and don't come up unless I tell you to." Mikhail ordered her as he reached for his sword that was hung on the wall. Vanessa nodded, grabbing Mike and headed down to the basement with Kageto, wishing for them to be safe.

"You should wait inside and be the last line of defense for them." Reika whispered to Mikhail. "I have a few tricks that will hold them off but it'll be better if you are not around to get caught in them."

"Are you sure?" Mikhail asked her worriedly.

"Trust me." Reika nodded. "Muraku entrusted the safety of you and your family and friend to me. And I intend to do so. Don't worry about me. This is not the first time I had to deal with something like this. Being friends with Muraku does that to you."

"That is something I cannot deny." Mikhail said mildly and gave her a small smile. "Take care. And thank you for doing this."

"Any friend of Muraku is a friend of mine." Reika merely replied, slipping outside. Around the cottage, the Bandits had their weapons poised to attack. After being warned by their leader, they knew that underestimating the person standing in front of the cottage may be worst mistake they would do.

"So, who wants to go first?" Reika clapped her hands together in glee. Her sword was still sheathed but visible on her belt. Her flute was tucked in her sleeve, in reach in case she needs it immediately. The Bandits exchanged wary glances and raised their weapons, ready to charge at her.

"Aw, everyone wants to have a turn." Reika said teasingly, causing most of them to halt in their tracks in surprise but others remained unfazed and continued to charge at her. Reika giggled and slipped her flute out of her sleeve, playing a soft tune. Vines shot out from the ground, ensnaring the Bandit's which did not charge at her. She slipped back her flute into her sleeve and pulled out her jian sword, twirling it in her hands before blocking a deadly looking mace aimed at her head. She kicked back her attacker before engaging the other Bandits that were not ensnared by the vines.

As the fight went on, Reika found herself being slowly pushed back and grimaced. She had not anticipated that Bandit's numbers were larger than she originally anticipated. But she could not let herself be defeated here or they'll kill everyone in Mikhail's house.

Pausing for a short moment, she quickly pulled out her flute again and tried to play it but a sharp pain across her chest made her cry in pain and drop her flute. It turns out, one of the Bandits took advantage of her distracted and slashed her across the chest. Blood pooled out of the cut and Reika's knees buckled, causing her fall down.

The Bandit raised his sword to strike her down permanently. Reika gritted her teeth as she tried to force herself stand up and continue to fight them but she was tired from the fight and the cut across her chest was bleeding profusely.

"Halt! In the name of the Wecastian Army!"

"Crap!" The Bandit lowered his sword and almost immediately, all the Bandits tried to escape but the soldiers of Wecasta caught up to them and started engaging them.

"Great." Reika muttered as she managed to pick herself up. After retrieving her jian sword and flute, she made her way to the forest under the cover of the fight.

* * *

As soon as Reika reached her hut, she fell down inside, panting heavily. She had managed to press her cloak against her cut but she was still losing a lot of blood. With a pained moan, she rolled over and looked down at the slash wound. It was still bleeding and at this rate, unless she can get help, she'll die.

"This is not how I anticipated dying." Reika managed to chuckle weakly.

"Reika!"

"And now I'm hallucinating." Reika continued. "There's no way Master Yuko would be here."

"Reika!" This time, she sounded louder.

"But it's sounds louder…" Reika muttered as her eyes fluttered close.

* * *

When Reika came to, she found that she was on a bed in a cottage, not her hut. A hand drifted to her chest and found that it was bandaged and stitched up. "What…?"

"Don't move." Yuko told her, pressing down her shoulders.

"Master Yuko?" Reika said in slight disbelief. "So I was not hallucinating."

"No, you weren't." Yuko said with a slight smile. "You're lucky that I got there in time. A second later and you would have bled out."

"So where am I?" Reika shook her head and tried to get her bearings.

"My cottage in Wecasta." Yuko told her.

"What? You never told me that you have one here." Reika blinked in surprise.

"Ok, to be more specific, just outside of Wecasta." Yuko rolled her eyes as she corrected herself. "And I never told you because you never asked. How do you think I kept coming to the forest for days if I live far away?"

"Oh." Reika winced. "So why are you here in the first place?"

Yuko paused and then shook her head with a sign. "You remember Mia's mother? I overheard her telling Bandit that all of Muraku's friends must be eliminated to ensure that he cuts off all ties to the outside of Lambary. I came here to see if I can prevent that. But you beat me to it."

Reika looked at her in shock and horror. "She really ordered that?"

"I'm afraid so." Yuko nodded sadly. "I have to admit, while Queen Kinako loves her children, she is very inconsiderate of their feelings. I was afraid that if Muraku knew that Bandit killed his friends, he would go down the same path as she did for revenge."

She glanced out the window and turned back to Reika. "Tomorrow, I'm going to bring you back to Lambary. If the queen knows that I'm not where she thinks I am, then I will be in a lot of trouble. And since you are still injured, you can recover at my home."

"If you say so." Reika nodded.

"And next time, try to keep out of trouble." Yuko said with a weak smile. "I can't be there to save you every time."

"I'll try." Reika said with a weak smile.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Roukes and Kageto are currently resting at Ban's house as insisted by Ami after being brought over by the soldiers. Ami and Yuno were looking after them, cooing at Mike almost every time he spoke to them. Takuya had come over and he is questioning them on the potential reasons why Bandit would want to attack them.

"I really don't know." Mikhail shook his head. "The Empire has no reason to chase us now that Muraku is in Lambary. Also, we have no connection to Bandit at all, even though Muraku was investigating them several years back. You should know what he knew by now."

"I know." Takuya nodded. "There should be no reason for that but we still have one more party to account for. Queen Kinako, Muraku's mother."

"But why would she want to kill us?" Kageto frowned. "Other than being Muraku's friends, we never met or spoke to her before."

"And I will not compromise our family's safety by seeing her." Mikhail added.

"I know." Takuya held up his hands. "But I have a theory that she did it not because of your friendship with Muraku, but for spite."

"What?" Vanessa gasped.

"If she can frame the empire for your supposed deaths, who will benefit the most from Muraku's grief?" Takuya questioned.

"The one who hates the empire the most." Mikhail said quietly. "His mother."

"Exactly. But this is just a theory. I dare not say anything for certain." Takuya stood up and turned to Ami. "I will be presenting these findings to the Queen. A squadron of soldiers will remain in the area in case Bandit returns to try another attempt."

"Thank you." Ami nodded and led him out.

"Alright." Ami clapped her hands as she returned. "You are welcome to stay here. I don't think it'll be safe for any of you to go back to your house."

"We don't want to be any trouble…"

"No." Ami shook her head firmly. "It'll be safer this way. The soldiers will only have to focus on one house instead of two in case Bandit try to come here as well. Also, we have emergency escape tunnels. If needed, we can escape through there. Not to mention, many of our members are out. So there will be a lot of space."

Mikhail, Kageto and Vanessa exchanged glances but relented.

"If you say so." Mikhail said. "But has Reika been found?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Ami shook her head. "After the Wecastian soldiers stepped in to fight Bandit, no has seen her. They found a blood trail that lead to the forest but when it ended, there was no sign of her. I'm surprise that she's here though since I thought that she would be at Aradia."


	48. Chapter 48

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Over the next few days, after they had arrived back at Yuko's house, she has been taking care of Reika while ensuring that Queen Kinako did not find out about her. However, it was because of this that Muraku noticed something out of the ordinary of his mentor's behavior whenever she is around him or Mia. Not only that, he noted that she was buying more food than for one person since he knew that she lives alone.

It took him some time but eventually, he managed to find a time to talk to her about it without anyone, namely Mia and his mother, around.

"Master Yuko."

Yuko paused and turned to face him. She bowed stiffly before straightening up to face him. "Can I help you, Prince Muraku?"

"There's something I need to ask you." Muraku said quietly. "Do you know where Reika is?"

Yuko froze and slowly shook her head, an action Muraku did not miss. "No, I'm afraid not. None of us has seen her since you came to Lambary."

Muraku narrowed his eyes at her. "You're lying. I know that she's here in Lambary and that you are housing her without our knowledge."

Yuko let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of her house. "How did you find out?"

"You were buying a lot of blueberries." Muraku said with a small smirk. "No one eats that much berries than Reika."

"Ah." Yuko sighed again and lifted her head. "Mia and Queen Kinako would not have thought much about it because unlike you, they don't know Reika well. Anyway, both the queen and Mia will be out tonight with Nana to pay a visit to the theater. Meet me in front of the gates after they leave."

Realizing that this was more of an order than a request, Muraku nodded. "Alright…Can I ask you one more thing?"

"What is it?" Yuko said carefully.

"Will my mother kill Reika if she found out that she is living with you?"

"Yes." Yuko nodded immediately. "You must remember this, Reika is someone who foiled Queen Kinako's plans once. And Queen Kinako is an extremely vengeful person. I hope that you understand now why I could not come to you about this."

Muraku clenched his fist tightly out of view from Yuko. When he did not reply, Yuko turned on her heels and went back down the ways she was initially going, leaving Muraku to his thoughts.

* * *

Reika was asleep when Muraku arrived at Yuko's house. Sneaking out was relatively easy since a large part of the guards had gone with his sister and mother out. Initially, Kinako had extended the invitation for him to come with them but he made the excuse of not liking the opera to not go. Thankfully, she bought it.

When Muraku saw the state of his friend, he was shocked and turned to Yuko sharply. "What happened to her?"

"It's best that she tells you." Yuko said quietly. "But whatever she's going to tell you, I hope that you won't act recklessly after that."

Muraku looked at her strangely but Reika shifted and her eyes fluttered open. When they landed on Muraku, they shot up wide open. "M-Muraku?"

"Reika." Muraku sighed and went over to her side. "Why are you here and what happened to you?"

Reika grimaced at that. "Bandit…" She trailed off when she realized what she was about to tell him could potentially hurt him badly.

"Bandit? What did they do?" Muraku demanded.

Reika gulped and gripped his hand tightly. "Promise that you won't do anything stupid after I tell you?"

Muraku frowned but nodded. "I promise." Behind him, Yuko inched towards the door to block it.

Reika took a deep breath and began her explanation with a nod from Yuko. "Bandit tried to assassinate your friends…under orders from you mother. They are safe now…"

"Bandit did this to you?" Muraku asked darkly.

"Yes…" Reika answered hesitantly.

Muraku's free hand was clenched tightly. "I cannot believe it…And to think that I was beginning to see her as my true mother…"

He stood up and tried to head for the door but Reika was faster and jerked at his hand which she was still holding, forcing him to halt in his tracks.

"Where are you going? You promised that you won't do anything stupid."

"I have to see my mother." Muraku growled, jerking his hand away from Reika's grasp. "How could she!? They are my friends!"

"Muraku, stop!" Yuko said sharply, slapping him to making him calm down. "I know that you are angry but if you confront her about this, Reika will be killed by her!" Her eyes softened and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I know that it's hard but you cannot let Queen Kinako know that you know about her schemes. She has the most vengeful heart that I've ever known. And I have very little hope of her sparing me and Reika if she found out that I am housing her."

"But I thought Muraku is her son? Couldn't he stop her?" Reika said in confusion.

"You don't know my mother well." Muraku said through gritted teeth as he stepped back, understanding now the dangers of confronting his mother. "She's a psychopath and she will not hesitate to kill you even if I beg her not to."

"Oh." Reika's eyes darkened. Muraku cannot fault her for not understanding why his mother would treat him like that since she was still very naïve. Even so, he knew that this has changed things between him and his mother in a bad way. There is no way he can look into his mother's eyes after this and there is no way he can ever face Mikhail, Vanessa and Kageto again if he saw them again.

* * *

"Those Aradian's!" Queen Kinako screeched as she slammed her fist on the armrest of her throne. Just two days since she came back from the opera with Mia, Seredy had brought some disturbing news regarding the newfound alliance between the Empire and Wecasta.

Seredy winced and lowered his head further. Kinako glared at him and nodded at him to continue, seeing that he has more to say.

"I don't have much confirmation of this, but there are rumors that Yoshimitsu Kaidou is dying and therefore, he is seeking out Jin Kaidou and some even say that he is heading back to the Empire." Seredy added carefully.

Kinako let out a huff and glared at the window facing the direction of Wecasta. "They will pay. Pretending to be nice and all seeking out a peaceful solution when they are already planning to ensure that Lambary does not rise again. I know that they will not trust Yoshimitsu Kaidou easily but if Jin Kaidou resumes his position as king, the alliance is as secured as it can get."

"Do you wish for me to prevent that from happening?" Seredy asked.

"Not yet." Kinako narrowed her eyes, remembering her captives in her palace. "I wish to dispose of my overdue guest."

"How shall we proceed?"

Kinako thought about it for a while. As an idea formed in her mind, neither her nor Seredy were aware that someone was about to open the doors to the room but stopped when Kinako spoke. "This evening, I will be banishing them from the land. I never wanted them here anyway. But once they reach the boarder, Bandit is to kill Ban Yamano and his companions!"

* * *

Behind the very door of the room, Mia gasped but muffled it with her hand. Not caring if anyone heard her or not, she ran back to her room, startling the nurse.

"Princess Mia, is there anything wrong?" She asked after ensuring that Nana is asleep in the crib.

Mia forced herself to calm down and nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry. But I need to be alone. Please leave. I will take care of Nana from here."

"As you wish." The nurse said hesitantly but immediately complied.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Mia broke down, collapsing on her bed. "No! Mama cannot be this cruel! She would never hurt anyone…" She lifted her head and glared down at her necklace. "No…She cannot be. But she wants to kill them, including Haruki."

She gasped as realization hit her. "Haruki. If mama really carries out her plan, he'll be dead too. He's one of my friends."

She clenched her fist. If she did what she was thinking of doing, there will be no doubt that the relationship between her and her mother can never be the same again. But on the other hand, her mother had lied to her all this time and had hurt or killed many innocent people. Also, unlike what others thought, she is not a cold blooded person like her mother.

"There's no way I am going to sit back and do nothing." Mia finally decided heavily. She looked back at the crib Nana was sleeping in. Her heart sank when she realized that her daughter may not see her again if she left.

"I'm sorry Nana." She whispered softly as she gently stroke her head. "I wish that I don't have to do this. But I have to. I hope that we can see each other again. And…I hope that you will never follow mama's footsteps."

Without another word, she slipped out of the room and sought out the nurse to take care of Nana before leaving the palace for good.


	49. Chapter 49

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **Author's note: My exams are coming up next week but I managed to complete this after studying in the day. Please don't expect the next chapter to come soon.**

* * *

"Out!" The guards roughly shoveled Ban and the others out of their respective rooms.

"What's going on?" Ban demanded.

"The queen wants to see you." The guard merely said and brought them to the throne room.

"That will do." Queen Kinako waved the guards to the side. She turned to them and inwardly sneered. 'Pretending to be peaceful people when all you do is associate with my enemies. Don't blame me for this. You only have yourselves to blame.' She thought to herself maliciously.

"Queen Kinako, what is going on?" Ban asked her warily.

Queen Kinako took a deep breath to calm herself and smirked. "I'm releasing all of you."

The shock was visible on their faces so she continued. "I have come to realized that holding you here will have no good for me. So go back to Wecasta and tell the queen that I have no desire to make an alliance with her. Whatever I wish to do will be my own decision."

"I see. But what about Bandit?" Ban carefully asked, skeptic of her sudden change of heart.

"They will do as I see fit." Queen Kinako's voice dropped dangerously. "Know this, I'm releasing you not out of kindness but only because I can see no good coming to me or Lambary if you continue to remain here."

Ran and Gouda growled at that while Hiro and Haruki threw hard glares at her but Ban remained unfazed. "If you think so, then we will go."

"You better not return here ever again." Queen Kinako gave them as a final warning before waving at the guards to escort them out of the premise of her home.

Once they were off though, Queen Kinako's smirk dropped and she quickly headed out to the gates of the palace where Seredy was waiting for her.

"What are your orders?" He bowed at her.

"We will set out for the spot I have told you to have Bandit gather. We will be giving my 'guest' and overdue farewell." Queen Kinako casted a poisonous glare at the direction Ban and the others had left. She got on her horse and Seredy did the same. Together, they galloped off towards the gathering point of Bandit but stayed away from the path Ban and his friends took.

* * *

Meanwhile, a servant ran out of the palace and headed towards Yuko's house. After knocking urgently on the door, Yuko answered it with a frown. "What is it?"

The servant spoke urgently to her ear. Whatever she said made Yuko anxious and cast a sideway glance at Muraku who was watching them intently.

"Go back and speak of this to no one." Yuko told her in a low voice. The servant bowed and quickly left.

"What happened?" Muraku asked.

Yuko bit her lip as she grabbed her sword hanging on the wall. "Mia is missing."

"What?" Muraku said in shock. "What about Nana?"

"That's the thing." Yuko shook her head in exasperation. "Mia is gone but Nana is still in her crib. The nurse is taking care of her now but no one can find Mia in the palace and no one, other than the queen and the prisoners, have left the palace."

"Wait, Ban and the others left?"

Yuko paused as she digested the message as she did not really do so when she first heard it. She nodded and turned to him. "Yes, Queen Kinako just released them just now and she left not too long after."

The gears in Muraku's mind were turning as he tried to figure out what his mother was planning. But his instincts told him that he had to look for Ban in order to find Mia so he counted on that. "I have a feeling we need to find Ban if we want to find Mia."

"Alright." Yuko nodded. "I'll search for Mia in town. You go and look for Ban."

Unbeknown to them, Reika had been listening to them and her eyes were wide in horror as she figured out what the queen was planning. So when Muraku and Yuko left, she quietly exited the house, regardless of her injuries, and followed Muraku.

* * *

As Ban and the others hiked through the woods to get back to the borders of Lambary and Wecasta, Ban found himself troubled with Queen Kinako's troubling actions.

"Ban, what are you thinking of?" Hiro asked him concernedly.

"Something regarding Queen Kinako's actions is very troubling." Ban admitted. "I don't know why, but I thought she did not have any plans to release us. But she did."

"We should not waste an opportunity like this." Gouda pointed out. "We take this chance and leave now before she changes her mind."

"I agree." Haruki nodded. "But I have to agree with Ban that there is something suspicious with the queen. And I don't mean her actions, but it felt like she was hiding her true emotions."

Everyone exchanged wary looks and quickened their pace. However, they only made one more mile before they walked into Queen Kinako's ambush.

Ban's ears twitched when he heard something whiz through the air and promptly threw Ran and Haruki, who were in front of him down before diving down himself. "Get down!"

Hiro, Sakuya and Gouda quickly threw themselves down as more arrows whizzed by.

"Ambush!" Ban hissed as he jumped up with sword draw out. Everyone around him did the same except for Sakuya who ducked behind a boulder instead with his slingshot out.

"Get them!" Seredy ordered from his hiding place. Instantly, all the Bandits in the area jumped out and began to attack the group.

"I hate it when I'm right." Ban groaned.

"That queen purposely lured us out here where neither Muraku and Mia can intervene." Haruki cursed.

As they fought off Bandit to prevent themselves from being killed, no one saw Queen Kinako sneaking up on Ban with her sword poised to stab him.

"No!"

Queen Kinako's eyes became wide as her own daughter parried the blow meant for Ban away. Ban, startled, spun around and his eyes became wide.

"Move Mia! Don't bother to defend them!" Queen Kinako ordered with a snarl.

"Mama, why are you doing this?" Mia asked, her distress at the situation apparent. "You know that it is wrong!"

"Stay out of this Mia." Queen Kinako narrowed her eyes. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Yes it does!" Mia shot back, tears glistening in her eyes. "Mama, this is wrong and you know it. I don't want to become the next ruler of Lambary like this!"

Kinako's eyes became cold because of rage. Her hands trembled as her grip on her sword tightened. "I sacrificed everything in order to ensure that you will become the ruler of Lambary. And yet, you don't want it."

It hurt Mia to hear her mother talk to her like this, treating her as the enemy. But she knew that the woman standing in front of her is not the same woman who raised her. This was the true face of her mother which she was trying to hide from her.

"Mama, let's go back." Mia pleaded as she stepped closer to her mother, stopping only a few feet from her. "Nana and Muraku are waiting for us. We can rebuild the kingdom without the need to take revenge. I've found out through living with Muraku that keeping grudges will only hurt ourselves."

She reached out and hugged her mother. For a moment, Kinako dropped her sword and wrapped her hand around Mia. Mia's eyes were wide in shock but it morphed into pain when she felt something stabbed her chest.

"This is for your betrayal." Kinako hissed as she pulled away, a bloodied knife in her other hand.

"No." Ban whispered in horror as he caught Mia when her knees buckled. He casted Kinako a repulsed glare. "How could you!? She is your own daughter!"

"She is not my daughter." Kinako declared. "If she is not on my side, she is denying me."

"No…" Not too far away, Muraku's eyes were downcast, having seen the whole thing. One thing was clear to him. He had to get away from her before she had the idea of him turning on her too.

"You are beaten." Kinako said, addressing Ban as all of his friends were disarmed and were forced into a circle around Ban and Mia. "Kill them all."

Seredy hesitated at her command. "Your highness, what about Princess Mia?"

Kinako shot him a glare that made him shiver and she stabbed his shoulder. "Do worse for her."

Seredy visibly flinched both from the pain in his shoulder and from her order. But there was nothing he could do about it. "As you wish."

"Not if I have a say in it." Reika whispered from her hiding spot. With her newly carved flute from her time resting and having nothing to do at Yuko's house, she quickly played several notes. Down at the commotion, vines shot out from the ground and surrounded Ban and his friends.

"What?!" Kinako screeched. "The flute child is nearby. Find her!"

But before the Bandits could move from where they were standing, a strong gust of wind blew right at the center of Ban of his friends. When the Bandits managed to cut them down, they were gone.

"Your highness, we cannot find the flute child. She must have fled with them." Seredy said carefully after some of his men scouted the forest.

Kinako was strangely quiet and Seredy was nearly certain she would execute him for his failures. Much to his surprise, she merely spun around and walked away.

"No matter." She said dismissively. "Leave them be for now. I have another idea in mind. It is time to come out of the shadows and take what is rightfully ours."

With those words, she turned to head into the forest. Seredy and the remaining Bandits in the area remained quiet until they were sure that she was out of earshot.

"Sir, what should we do?" One of the Bandits asked.

"Head back to our hideout first." Seredy sighed. "We can do nothing more here."


	50. Chapter 50

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

While Bandit cleared out from the area, Queen Kinako kept her dignified, poised expression until she reached a clearing where she was sure that no one was there. In one swift movement, she impaled the dagger she stabbed Mia with into a tree. She sank onto her knees and let out an angry scream. Despite her cruel words and actions, part of her was angry at herself for what she did to Mia.

Unaware to her, Muraku was watching her warily from a distance. He was certainly terrified of her now after seeing her stab Mia. He knew that his mother had a cruel streak but to use it on Mia only told him that he would be in the same position too if he kept on pushing her. As he was about to flee the area, a hand grabbed Muraku by the upper arm and flung him into a tree harshly.

"What are you doing here?" Kinako demanded coldly.

Muraku painfully lifted his head and his face paled upon the sight of his mother. He tried to deny her accusations but his voice got caught in his throat. Narrowing her eyes at his lack of response, Kinako growled and hauled him up, digging her nails into his arm. "Come on. Let's go home."

Muraku tried to struggle against the grip but that only resulted in the nails digging further into his arm. Finally, he gave up and hopelessly allowed his mother drag him back to Lambary where he was afraid of what his mother would do to him. Letting out an inaudible sigh, he could only thank Reika for getting Mia away and wished that Ban would bring her to safety where their mother cannot touch her again.

* * *

Over at Wecasta, Ban was on his feet the moment the wind died down, quickly running back to the palace so that the healers there can take care of Mia with the others behind him. Reika however hung back for she had no desire to enter the town despite worried for Mia.

"Thanks Reika!" Ban suddenly called over his shoulder as he then remembered that she was there. Reika shrugged but on the inside, she was feeling warm for this was the first time someone other than Muraku bothered to take notice of her and her efforts. But it disappeared and was replaced with pain which made her wince and leaned against a tree to support herself. It only took one look down at her abdomen to see that she had reopened her injuries.

"Oh great." Reika moaned and dragged her feet all the way back to her hut where she quickly replaced the bandages before curling up to sleep. It had not occurred to her that she had forgotten to tell Yuko that she was leaving.

But with Ban, things were not very simple for Mia's condition was declining rapidly both due to the fact that Wecasta was facing winter now so it was colder than she is used to and she had lost a lot of blood.

"I honestly don't know if she can pull through." One of the healers admitted. "Given that it is obvious that her body is not in full health before taking that injury and the weather here wearing her down further, it's no wonder she is worse than she should be."

"Her body is not in full health?" Ban frowned.

"She has a daughter of two months old. So her body might still be recovering from childbirth." Haruki spoke up. "Could it be because of that?"

"I'm not sure." The healer said apologetically. "But if there are any changes, I promise I will inform you immediately."

"Thank you." Ban bowed and turned to the rest. "Go back without me. I have to report to Queen Renneton."

"Alright." Gouda and the rest nodded before leaving their leader to head back and see their family.

Ban sighed as he headed up to the throne room, wondering why did it have to come to the point where Queen Kinako had to resort to attempting to kill her own flesh and blood. But he wondered though why did she suddenly get angry at them and decided to kill them since before that, she was only tolerating them in her palace.

When he reached the throne room, he was mildly surprise to see Arata there with the Queen. But what he did not expect was the guilty look on both of their faces. In concern, he approached them with a frown. "What happened?"

"I heard about what happened so I came here." Arata forced a smile and hugged him. But Ban still could feel something bothering him so he turned to the queen.

"Did anything happened while we were away?"

"In a way, yes." The queen nodded as Arata shifted away from his brother. "Yoshimitsu Kaidou had proposed a ceasefire to us."

"What!?" Ban exclaimed, not daring to believe his ears.

"And so I went to see him." Arata continued, lowering his head so not to meet his brother's eyes. "And we…agreed to create an alliance to counter Lambary."

If Ban's jaw could drop any further, it would. But instead, he shook his head, pinching his nose. "Which Queen Kinako heard of, which is why she lost her temper and decided to kill us."

"We're sorry." Arata apologized, bowing low. "We didn't think that it would provoke her like this."

"It's alright." Band sighed. "It was going to happen either way. Queen Kinako is not a person one can reason with. What she did to Princess Mia only sealed the fact that there is no way we can peacefully resolve our conflict with her."

"I was afraid so." Queen Renneton sighed. "We have no choice but to fight her and Bandit when it comes to it."

Ban and Arata lowered their heads somberly for they knew that Queen Renneton was right. They had accomplished their goal in stopping Yoshimitsu Kaidou and his evil reign but at the cost of incurring the wrath of Queen Kinako.

* * *

Back at the Lambary palace, Muraku found himself locked up in the same room Ban was kept in by none other than his mother. He gritted his teeth, knowing that his mother was nothing more than a psychopath who clearly lost her mind. There was no way the mother who tried to love him would ever hurt Mia, much less order Bandit to kill her.

He tried to remove the planks that were barring the windows but they were nailed in too tightly. Biting his lip, he tried to pull the door open again but with no success. He badly wanted to leave this place and if possible, bring Nana with him so that she would not have to be part of this madness any longer. However, that was impossible as long as he was locked up in the room.

"There's got to be another way out of here." He said in frustration as he tried to jerk the door again with no avail. He fumbled his pocket for a wire or something which could help him open the door. But instead, he found the flute which Reika gave him. He contemplated on using it since it was likely that she would be in no shape to help him. He clenched his fist around it and finally decided to use it before he losses the chance to. After blowing at it, he did not expect her to come immediately and collapse.

"Reika!" Muraku hissed and placed her on the bed. He shook his head in exasperation. "You didn't need to come immediately if you were in a bad shape."

"Well forgive me for worrying about you since you are in danger of your psychotic mother." Reika said tiredly. "And I was right to worry. We need to get out of here."

"No." Muraku shook his head. "You are in no shape to go anywhere."

"The longer we stay here, the sooner your mother will find me." Reika pointed out, pushing herself up and grabbing his arm. She quickly played her flute to get them out just as the door was unlocking. By the time Kinako opened the door, they were gone.

She stared at the empty room for a few seconds before flying into rage, destroying everything in the room with her sword when she realized what happened. The guards outside dare not step in but when Yuko came by, she waved them away.

Gathering every ounce of courage she had in her, she stepped in, gaining the queen's attention. Kinako's eyes visibly darkened and she stormed over to her, slapping her hard.

"How is it that the flute child appeared here in Lambary?" She demanded coldly.

Yuko winced and lifted her head to meet the queen's eyes. "Your highness, you know that she is still a royal member of Lambary despite the fact that you hate her mother. I have a duty to protect the Houjou family and it includes her because she is the late king's niece."

"But that does not mean that you can simply bring her back here." Kinako glared.

"She has every right to." Yuko said firmly which was risky, considering that this was the queen she was talking to. "Your highness, please don't see my risk in protecting Reika to be being disloyal to you. My family is sworn to protect all who are of the royal blood, and that includes Mia, Muraku, Nana and Reika."

Kinako eyed her critically before leaving the room. Yuko let out a breath of relief, knowing that she was safe, for now. No doubt that she had lost a lot of trust in her but the queen will keep her alive for now for Nana's sake.


	51. Chapter 51

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

Over with Mikhail and Vanessa, they were back at their house to retrieve several of Mike's toys that they forgot to get.

"You got the wooden blocks?" Vanessa asked Mikhail when they left after they were sure that they had gotten all of their son's toys.

"Yup." Mikhail reassured his wife, patting the bag in his hands and wrapped his free one around her shoulder. "You know you could have stayed with Mike. You didn't need to come out here."

"It's fine." Vanessa shrugged. "I got tired of being cooped up and Mike's asleep. It's already his bedtime."

"Alright." Mikhail nodded in understanding. Even with her pregnancy with Mike, she still insisted on going out to visit Nozomi and do her usual chores to cope with her restlessness and it was the same with her second pregnancy.

"Mikhail…Vanessa…"

The couple froze and slowly turned around. Their eyes became wide at who called them. "Muraku!?"

There Muraku was standing in front of them with Reika unconscious being carried by him with a lot of blood sweeping through the bandages on her body.

"What happened?" Mikhail asked as he and Vanessa rushed over. "What happened to Reika?"

"Long story. But I have to get Reika to a healer and talk to Ban." Muraku said tiredly.

Vanessa and Mikhail exchanged worried looks but helped Muraku all the way to the palace. It was hard for them to get in but thankfully, Ban had been coming out but at the sight of them. Seeing the severity of Reika's injuries, he promptly allowed Muraku and Reika to enter while Vanessa and Mikhail went back and brought them to the healers. When they got there and handed Reika to the healers, Muraku froze when he spotted the unmoving body of his sister. Seeing his look, Ban made sure that the healers were taking care of Reika before moving over to his side.

"She's not doing well." Ban said solemnly. "The healers are not certain that she would pull through."

"It was hard for her." Muraku said softly. "Not only did she turn her back on mother, she's abandoning her daughter."

"It was a hard choice." Ban nodded in agreement. "But it ended up saving my life and for that, I know that she can pull through because she has the strength to let go of everything in her comfort zone to do the right thing."

Muraku sighed and went over to squeeze her hand. "I know that you can pull through. Don't give up Mia. Nana wants her mother to be there for her when we get her back."

Mia's hand twitched slightly but other than that, there was no other response from her. Muraku sighed and turned to Ban. "We need to figure out what my…mother's next move is going to be. But I have a feeling that she won't be coming after us for a while."

"I don't know." Ban shook his head. "I really believe that we shouldn't make any assumptions of what she's planning on doing. She's deranged if she could willingly hurt Mia like that and she is the closest person to her that I know of."

Muraku had nothing to say about that and left, leaving Ban to watch over Reika and Mia. Ban let out a small sigh and sat down on a chair that was beside Mia's bed.

"I really hope that you wake up soon." Ban said softly to Mia. "I know that we don't know each other that well to leave good impressions on each other, but I want to say thank you. You saved my life even though you knew that you would be turning your back on your mother. Like Muraku said, your daughter is waiting for you. You have to fight through this and wake up."

"Sir Ban, the red haired girl is stabilized. She is merely exhausted which is why she fainted but she should be fine tomorrow and wake up then." The healer told him as she finished treating Reika before moving on to Mia.

"Thank you." Ban inclined his head and headed over to Reika's bed. For a while, he wondered why she wasn't with Arata at Aradia but at Lambary instead but he decided to leave it for now and wait until she wakes up to ask her.

* * *

Over on Jin's side, it had taken him days, but he had finally gathered the courage to enter Aradia, a trip that could have been shortened if he had not been hesitating.

"Took you long enough." Yuuya said mildly as they covered their faces with cloaks and walked to the palace.

"I don't see how my hesitations actually affect you." Jin deadpanned.

"It does when I want to get this over with." Yuuya sighed. "I really hope that you understand that Lord Kaidou is dying and while he may try to make amends with you, I don't want to prologue this any longer so that I can get over this headache."

"I feel the same." Jin muttered and mustered up his nerves before approaching the soldiers at the gates of the palace. Given that all the guards had been killed by Seredy and Bandit, the soldiers were called back to act as guards to the palace and Aradia.

"State your business." The soldier grunted. Jin merely lifted his hood so that he could see his face. The soldier flustered and quickly bowed. "Your highness, I…"

"Don't speak of this to anyone yet." Jin cut in before he and Yuuya walked past him to enter the palace. Noticeably, everyone was staring at them but Jin ignored them in favor of heading towards his grandfather's chambers to see him. Halfway there, he was greeted by a familiar face.

"Welcome back, your highness." Jii greeted him with a bow. "I knew that you would come back to see Lord Kaidou."

Jin nodded stiffly and followed him to the chambers. "I take it that my grandfather is secured?"

"Indeed." Jii reassured him. "I made sure that other than the healer and I, no one else is allowed to enter his chambers. But occasionally, I allow a handful of servants to clean the room under my supervision."

"Make sure that no one interrupts us while I speak with him." Jin told him as they reached the chambers.

"Of course." Jii bowed. Jin stared at the door for a few second before pushing it open to enter. Inside, the healer lifted his head and let out a small smile.

"Welcome back your highness. You have just made it back in time." He told him and looked down sadly as his smile faded. "I do not wish to be the bearer of this news, but I am afraid that Lord Kaidou will not make past the night."

Jin swallowed the lump in his throat and approached the bed. "Leave us."

The healer respected his wishes with a bow and left, closing the door behind him. Jin slowly sat down on the chair beside the bed and took his grandfather's hand. He winced at how cold it was.

"Jin." Lord Kaidou said hoarsely as his eyes opened by a fraction. "You came back."

"Yes." Jin slowly nodded. "Did you mean every word you wrote on the posters?"

"Every single one of them." Lord Kaidou nodded. "Listen, I know that whatever I say will not make you forgive me, but I just want to see you one last time before I pass on. I am really sorry for everything that I put you through."

He lifted his hands towards the tapestry on the wall. Jin quickly went over and pulled it aside. His eyes became wide when he saw the carved compartment holding a crown made out of pure jade in it. "This is…"

"The Jade Crown which I killed King Houjou for." Lord Kaidou said weakly. "I hope that you would give it back if it would pacify Queen Kinako, even just a bit."

Jin bit his lip, unsure if it would actually work since he had met her personally and he had seen what she could do as a psychopath. But nevertheless, he kept his mouth shut. A loud cough drew his attention back to his grandfather.

"Jin…please tell Muraku that I am sorry…" Lord Kaidou rasped out.

"Grandfather." Jin quickly went back to his side and clutched his hand. "Please rest."

"No." He shook his head. "My time is up. Help me atone for my mistakes…"

Jin squeezed his eyes shut as he felt his grandfather's hand become limp in his grasp and his eyes closed. "I will grandfather."


	52. Chapter 52

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

* * *

A week after Lord Kaidou's death, Jin had finally finished all the arrangements needed to settle the remaining affairs of the kingdom, namely his statement of stepping down from the throne. He could not deny it anymore that he was tired of trying to uphold the kingdom with very little success on his part, which is why, he was going to leave as soon as they take down Queen Kinako. Next, he had sent a letter to Yuno in Wecasta, telling her that he is no longer bounding her to the marriage and that she can return to Odela as soon as she receives this letter. Lastly, he had prepared everything he needed to take with him when he goes back to the old farmhouse. He planned to leave some of his things there while cleaning it up a bit so that it would be more homely when everything is settled and they go back there to live.

"How are you, Jin? You have been working nonstop since the funeral." Yuuya asked him from the side of his table where the papers were piled up high. He was worried that his friend had been pushing himself too hard just to wrap everything up before Queen Kinako came and spoil it all.

"I'm fine." Jin reassured his friend. "I just need to complete this last document and I can relax for the next hour."

Unfortunately for him, Jii came in shortly after that with some important news. "Your highness, forgive me but there is a visitor insisting on seeing you despite the fact I told him that you that you do not wish to see anyone."

"Let him in. I have an idea of who it is." Jin said with a wave of his hand.

Jii bowed and left. Soon, Ban came in. He paused when he spotted the Jade Crown on the table and gave Jin a questioning look.

"Grandfather showed it to me before he…passed on." Jin explained, placing a hand on it. "I was hoping that this would spare us from Queen Kinako's wrath if I gave it back to her."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Ban murmured. Despite hating the former king for what he did to his family, he knew the pain of losing someone close to you so he respected Jin's sentiments. At the last part, he frowned. "Jin, I don't think it would work. She's a psychopath. She even tried to kill her own daughter when she saved me."

Jin frowned in concern and folded his hands in front of him. "I see. How is she?"

"She's stabilized and awake now, but she's not recovering nor is she getting worse." Ban sighed. "I'm worried about her emotional status though. She isn't responding to anyone, not even Muraku."

"Is it true that she and Muraku and twins?" Jin asked in a tight voice.

"Yes, but neither of them knew about it until recently because of Queen Kinako's selfishness."

Jin's fist tightened while Yuuya, who had been standing in the corner of the room this whole time, clicked his tongue in disdain. "How could anyone bear to do that to their own children?"

"Don't ask me. Like I said, she's crazy and I wouldn't be surprise if she's mental." Ban said in frustration. "Anyway, aside from that, I came here to see if you needed any help…also, Queen Renneton is assembling a council to figure out a way to end Queen Kinako's rampage. She was hoping that you would join."

Jin shifted in his seat, his reluctance written all over his face. Catching that, Ban reassured him. "You don't have to give an answer now, but I can assure you that your help will be greatly appreciated. You can consider this an atonement for everything you did for the past five years, if it helps."

"I'll consider it." Jin finally said. He picked up the Jade Crown from his desk and gave it to him. "Can you do me a favor and take this back to Muraku? It belongs to him and Princess Mia anyway."

"Of course. And when you see Hana, give my greetings to her." Ban said with a knowing smile.

Jin was taken aback that Ban already figured out his plans but nodded nevertheless. Once he was gone, Yuuya turned to his friend. "Are you sure that you want to leave Aradia? It's our home that we grew up in."

"No, Yuuya." Jin shook his head. "This is Ban's home. We took it from him. I believe I have no right to remain here. What are you going to do after all of this blows off?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I'll probably leave the palace, and find my own path from there."

Jin's mouth quirked in a smile at that. "I'm glad to hear that. Any news of Jessica's plans?"

"I'm not sure, but I heard that she's thinking of staying on." Yuuya shook his head and gave him an amused smile. "You miss her?"

"Some times. I admit, I am angry at her for what she did to me and Hana but that's nothing more than a childish grudge. Despite everything, I still consider her as my friend."

"I'm sure that she would be glad to hear that." Yuuya said softly. Jin did not reply to that and left the room instead. He headed to his room and took out his saddle bags.

'I'm coming now Hana. Wait for me.'

* * *

Reika was understandably bored with nothing to do. The healers at the palace were more bossy than Yuko when it comes to what she should do and what she shouldn't do. Seriously, she was fine and recovered, so that meant that she was free to go. Plus, being around so many people made her nervous. The only people she was comfortable with were Muraku and arguably, Takeru.

Which is why, she snuck out of the palace as soon as she could and found herself in Aradia's forest.

"Finally." She said to herself as she strolled down the forest. "I'm out of that stuffy room and no more people hovering around me. I can heal faster than if the healers continue to restrict me when I'm out here. Mama bear, Chi and Tuka are doing well the last I saw them before I left Wecasta. Mother Cat and her kittens are still with Takeru…Urgh, I still don't want to see him. He'll only ignore me again."

As she wandered around, she paused when she heard horse hooves coming in her direction. She quickly ducked behind the closest tree and peaked out when the horse got closer. Her eyes became wide when she recognized who its rider was.

"Muraku's brother!" Reika blurted out unintentionally and quickly clamped her mouth shut when she realized she said it out loud, hoping that Jin did not hear that. But unfortunately for her, Jin had heard it and halted his horse. He turned his head around suspiciously but could not see anything. However, he was certain that he had heard someone. As a precaution, he placed his hand on his sword's hilt.

"Show yourself!" He demanded.

Reika gulped, knowing that she was heard. So she slowly peaked out of the tree, making half of her visible. "Um…Hi?"

Jin frowned when he recognized her and moved his hand away from his sword. "You're Muraku's friend."

"Yeah." Reika slowly nodded and moved away from the tree. "And you're his brother whom he's trying to…what did he say it was again…reconcile, whatever that means."

Jin nearly sweatdropped. He had no idea how naïve and ignorant the girl in front of him was, but he could tell that she was absolutely clueless of what she just said and meant it as an innocent gesture. But still, he was touched to hear that Muraku still wanted to reconcile with him despite all of the crazy events that went down recently.

"So, what are you doing all the way out here?" Reika asked him curiously.

Jin hesitated but decided that there was no harm in telling her. "I'm going to pick up a friend of mine from a faraway place."

"Where is it? I might know shortcuts to get there."

"At a farmhouse at the edge of Lambary's borders." Jin told her.

"Hm…" Reika tapped her chin thoughtfully. "If you want to get there faster, I can show you some less used roads. It'll be harder go through but you'll get there within two days."

"Lead the way then." Jin said gratefully.

Reika grinned and walked alongside the horse as she directed him. As they walked along, they began to exchange stories of their past.

"…And so, it took him an hour before he realized that I was hiding in the trees, making a maze of vines to make him lost when he accidentally stumbled into my turf." Reika explained how she met Muraku. "From there, we became friends and I had helped him get out of trouble several times in exchange for him helping me drive away some hunters that were trying to disrupt my turf."

"I see. That sounds very much like him." Jin said with a small smile.

"And also, he got into a lot of trouble trying to look for information regarding your grandpa." Reika added, unaware of Jin's shock look. "It was through there he discovered that the crazy queen of Lambary is the one behind the scenes. I can't remember the number of times I had to help him get out those sticky situations."

Jin became silent for the rest of the day. It had never occurred to him that Muraku had gone through so much trouble to get the information about Queen Kinako and then had the burden of not being able to share it with anyone. In a way, he was glad that he had Reika to watch his back despite her childishness and naivety.

When they stopped to set up the camp for the night, Jin had slept on the ground while Reika had taken the first watch on a tree. However, Jin found that he could not sleep at all for he kept on thinking of what Reika had said. It then occurred to him that he had not bothered to learn of what everyone close to him was doing or feeling while he selfishly ruled the Kaidou Empire. However, that was one thing he was determined to change the moment he and Hana were reunited.


	53. Chapter 53

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **I'm so sorry it has been taking so long but recently, I had an assignment due and I had to rush on it so I had to neglect writing this. Anyway, just to warn everyone, I will be putting all my fics on hiatus this October until next year because I will be very busy with this semester until then.**

* * *

It had taken them a few days, but in the end, Reika and Jin had arrived at the farmhouse. During this time, Reika and Jin had gotten comfortable with each other well enough. In fact, Jin had gotten used to some of Reika's habits like her unwillingness to kill any animals, her tendency to befriend even the fiercest of animals, and her innocence that made her oblivious and ignorant of a lot of things. But those were some of the things he could put up with.

"And so, we are here." Reika waved at the farmhouse and glanced at him. "Do you want me to stay out here while to get your friend?"

"It's fine." Jin shook his head. "You don't have to leave if you don't want to."

"If you say so." Reika shrugged. Jin strode over to the door and knocked on it. Not too long after, Hana opened the door by a fraction and her eyes became wide.

"I'm back, Hana." Jin smiled softly. Hana opened the door wider with a grin and pulled Jin into a tight hug. When they pulled apart, Jin planted a kiss on her forehead and led her inside.

"Not five minutes and they forgot about me." Reika mused but strangely she wasn't bothered by this at all since she perceived something like this would happen. "Oh well. I suppose I could hang around. It's not every day I would come to a place like this…" She suddenly trailed off sharply, sniffing the air. "There's something wrong with the air."

Frowning, she shifted into the tree line and eyed around for anything suspicious. "There isn't anything here but I was sure that there was a bad stench…"

Looking around one last time, she turned back to the direction of the farmhouse. Unbeknown to her, a pair of blood red eyes were watching her and the owner of the eyes smirked evilly.

* * *

"I can't tell you how much I miss you." Jin whispered to Hana as they held on to each other in the middle of the farmhouse. Hana nodded against his shoulder and relaxed. Jin ran a hand along her hair and continued. "My grandfather is dead."

Hana lifted her head in shock and then gave him a questioning look as to ask how.

"He had a heart attack after Bandit attacked the palace which left him very weak. I got back just in time to see him for the last time."

Hana could feel the ache in his heart for his grandfather. Despite everything he had done to Jin, she could not help but feel sympathy for him because he was the only family he had. To comfort him, she pulled him closer.

"Thanks. I needed that." Jin enjoyed her closeness for a few more minutes and then pulled away. "I'm bringing you back to Aradia. Once we defeat Queen Kinako, I'm handing over the throne to Ban. Then we can come back here and settle down for good."

Hana's eyes shone at that prospect and nodded in agreement. Jin smiled and looked around, only then realizing that he had forgotten about Reika. "Come on. I want to find Reika and then we can leave this place. But don't worry, we will come back."

Hana grinned, looking forward to see the young girl again despite only knowing her for a short time due to her innocent nature and her friendly deposition despite proving to have a fierce fire underneath that. When Jin opened the door, they found Reika looking around cautiously, making them nervous.

"Reika, what's going on?"

Reika tilted her head at them and held up a finger. "There's someone here."

"Who?" Jin narrowed his eyes as his hand rested on his sword while the other pulled Hana behind him.

"I don't know. But I don't like his scent." Reika pulled out her jian sword.

"Pity, I don't like yours either."

Everyone jumped but then Jin automatically pulled out his sword while Hana let out a growl from her throat as she recognized that voice.

"Itan Kyouji." Jin hissed when the assassin came into view.

"So you have run all the way here, my slave." Itan smirked. "It took me a while to track you down but trailing Jin Kaidou was certainly worth it."

Hana snarled at being called a slave with Jin's hand being the only anchor preventing her from attacking him. But the one who attacked him was surprisingly Reika who had tried to stab him but he had avoided it. However, the blow had nicked his cheek, drawing out blood. Itan was visibly shocked by this but Reika had a deadly flame surrounding her.

"Don't you dare talk to her like that! You are no better than a piece of rotten meat!"

"I like her spunk." Jin whispered to Hana who nodded in agreement.

"Do you think that you can defeat me?" Itan hissed in furry.

"Yes." Reika said with unwavering confidence. Yuko had taught her everything that she needed to know. And Yuko was the best teacher in her opinion.

Itan let out a yell and charged at her only for his sword to be parried by her own. Jin was about to step in when Reika shook her head frantically. "I can handle him. Get out of here!"

Jin was reluctant to do so but seeing as how she had no trouble keeping Itan at bay, he nodded back and led Hana to his horse by hand.

"Foolish move." Itan chuckled darkly. "I will kill you and then I will kill them! Then, I will have every right to take over Bandit and destroy Lambary once and for all!"

"Clearly you underestimate that crazy queen more than you underestimate me." Reika said scornfully and placed two fingers in her mouth, whistling loudly. Instantly, vines shot out from the forest and wrapped around Itan, pulling him into the forest, Reika following closely.

Itan let out a roar of rage and sliced through the vines to get free, attacking Reika erratically. Soon, Reika found herself on the ground with Itan hovering over her with a maniac grin.

"It's over. Just as the Kaidou army will be when Bandit carries out its strike on it!"

Just as he was about to raise his sword for the final strike, Reika unexpectedly kicked him in the shin, causing him to lose his balance and stumble backwards right into a trap pit which Reika spotted and he didn't notice. He soon found himself deep in the ground while Reika took deep breaths to calm herself and peaked over.

"Get me out of here!" Itan yelled at her.

"No can do." She shook her head with a cheeky smirk. "You deserve it."

The next thing that happened however, was something which neither she nor Itan could have expected. The ground suddenly shifted and the pit started to be filled up with soil from the top. Itan's muffled yells and Reika's frantic whistles to stop the ground from doing so could be the only sounds heard. Soon the pit became quiet as it was completely filled up and Reika's alarmed breathing was the only sound left.

"W-What happened?" She asked no one in particular. "I couldn't stop it. It…it was like nature had decided to strike against him…"

She lifted her head when the wind blew around her and listened to it as though it was telling her something. Soon, she nodded her head shakily as she got up. "I understand. I don't like it, but I understand."

She quickly left the forest and found Jin and Hana not too far away on Jin's horse. When they spotted her, their eyes lighted up in relief.

"Reika." Jin got off his horse and approached her and looked her up and down. "Did he hurt you?"

"No." Rieka shook his head. "And he is dead."

Jin and Hana were visibly taken aback by her declaration. "How?"

"Nature was angry with his plans." Reika merely said. "It did not like the way he wanted destruction of everything. So it finished him off."

Jin and Hana exchanged confused glances, not understanding a word she said. But instead, Reika continued. "He also said that Bandit is planning a strike on the Kaidou army."

Jin's eyes became wide and he remounted his horse. "We have to go back now and stop them."

"You go on ahead. I'll catch up with you."

Jin eyed her in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"I cannot ride on your horse and will only slow you down. Go back using the way we came here. It's the fastest. I need some time to clear my head." Reika told him seriously.

"…Alright. Take care then." Jin and Hana nodded and Jin had his horse gallop off.

Reika let out a sigh of relief and turned back to the forest, unable to suppress her shivers. 'The forest clearly has a mind of its own. But I felt intense hate for Itan from it…even with what he said about destroying Lambary, I had a feeling he would not have been able to do it. Why did it decide to strike against him?'

Unfortunately for her, the wind was quiet and offered her no answers.


	54. Chapter 54

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Do review!** **(Is it really that hard to simply type a few words and hit a button?)**

 **I'm sorry I haven't updated in a long while, but I was very busy and still busy so my updates will still be very spars.**

 **I'm really sorry! I did not noticed that I uploaded the wrong chapter. This should be the real one. Hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

"As soon as we get back to Aradia, I have to warn the commanders to be on guard for Bandit." Jin frowned. He and Hana had been travelling for a while on his horse back on the path Reika directed them to. So far, they had travelled a good distance and Jin estimated that they were at least half way through the journey and stopped for the night.

Hana raised a questioning eyebrow at him. Jin tensed as he understood what Hana was asking nonverbally and clenched his fist. "It is important because the main army camp has at least 20 explosive cannons."

Hana's eyes became wide as she understood the implications of it. _"If Bandit gets hold of the cannons, they will be unstoppable."_

"Exactly."

Hana narrowed her eyes in thought and glared at him. _"Then why would you let an indestructible weapon be used if you know that it can be used against you?"_

"They are not 'indestructible', per se. Grandfather had anticipated this and made sure that there is sort of a weakness in the cannons." Jin admitted.

 _"Sort of?"_ Hana signed/asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The weakness is on the cannons itself and to render them unusable, we need to get up close to the cannons in order to do so."

Hana facepalmed and leaned back against a tree trunk. _"Jin, I don't mean any offence to you…while Yoshimitsu Kaidou is smart enough to create a weakness, he's dumb enough to make it hard to reach. You might as well take out the people handling the cannons to stop them."_

Jin let out a snort and leaned back beside her. "I know. I brought it up to him many times and he still insisted that changes will not be necessary because Bandit will not be able to steal them."

 _"Jin, we have been underestimating Bandit this whole time."_ Hana signed seriously. This caught Jin's attention and made him pay attention.

 _"Even when I was in Aidara, we were wrong about how strong Bandit truly is. They have Seredy for a leader and he is extremely cunning and capable of military strategy. And controlling them is Queen Kinako who is highly unpredictable and unstable from what you told me. Think about it. Even without Itan Kyouji, they still have the means to succeed with the right decision and right action."_

"You are right." Jin slowly nodded. "Which is more reason why we need to get back as soon as possible." He closed his eyes and pulled Hana closer to him. "Get some sleep. We have a long day of travelling tomorrow."

Hana did not reply but snuggled closer to him, quickly falling asleep. But little did they now that far away from here, Bandit was already raiding the army camps of the Kaidou Empire. Due to the fact that a majority of troops had been recalled back to the palace, the remaining sentries stood no chance against the whole body of Bandit. Not especially since Queen Kinako is joining them on this raid with her personal soldiers as well.

"Move the cannons back to the rendezvous points!" Seredy ordered his men once they were done collecting the weapons and cannons in the army camp close to the borders of Aradia. He was grateful that Queen Kinako had gone to another camp instead but sympathized the Bandits who were currently with her. It was no secret that the queen was actually becoming more psychotic as the days went by. Everyone knew to avoid her as much as possible lest they find themselves executed for no reason at all.

The only one willing to stay by the queen's side was Yuko but even she had mixed feelings about the queen's latest actions.

* * *

Over at Wecasta the next day, the entire court was in uproar over the news of the army camps being raided and the possibility of them being used against them. Which led to some serious arguments.

"We must increase our military!"

"We must surrender!"

"No, we have to fight back!"

"But we have no chance against those cannons!"

Queen Renneton could only rub her head in exasperation as the same argument went back and forth. Neither options were favorable to her. She did not want to pull in anymore troops from the civilians and pit them in a war that was not meant for theirs to fight. But at the same time, surrendering was not an option either. Bandit and Queen Kinako will only win and terrorize her people, something she must never allow.

The arguments and debates only came to a halt when Yuusuke had enough and declared a recess to let her think.

"Your highness, neither options presented before us are very favorable to us." Yuusuke said quietly when the throne room was cleared out of the advisors.

"I agree. But we are limited in time and options." She signed and closed her eyes in thought. Thinking through the possibilities, she wondered if there could be a third option they could take. She opened her eyes glanced out of the window. "Junichiro once said that if there is no other option, we have to take the fight to them. Diplomatic actions have proven fruitless with Queen Kinako. And she has already tried to kill one of her children. I do not believe that she is sane anymore. The only thing that she cares about now is war. Her actions were a declaration of it."

"It may seem that there is no other choice." Yuusuke sighed. While Wecasta was well known for its militia, Queen Renneton only utilized it three times in her entire reign. It was only when Yoshimitsu Kaidou tried to attack Wecasta, fending off pirates in Machila and driving off Bandit from Misora Town. The reason why she never used the militia otherwise is because like her friend Junichiro, she is a pacifist at heart. She chose to never use it for her personal gain but to help and protect others. Now, she may have to use it once again to stop Bandit and Queen Kinako once and for all before they terrorize other kingdoms and her people.

"Yuusuke, call in Ban and Muraku." She told him. "We need to discuss the best course of action."

"Of course." Yuusuke nodded and left to find the two men.

* * *

Back at Lambary, Queen Kinako had just returned from the raid and was checking the stored cannons. In order to keep them close to Wecasta without alerting anyone, Bandit had moved them to an empty shed in their hideout. She smirked and ran a hand over one of them as she admired the design. Plans of what to do with them ran through her mind.

"Yoshimitsu Kaidou, I applaud you on designing such powerful weapon. It seems to be the only thing you know how to do properly. But nevertheless, I'm stealing them and using them for myself." She mused with a malicious smirk.

Glancing around, her smirk dropped when she noticed Yuko approaching her. With a scowl, she spun around at her. "Didn't I tell you to leave me alone!?"

"Forgive me your majesty." Yuko bowed low. "But I just received news which I believe important to tell you immediately."

"What is it?"

"Yoshimitsu Kaidou is confirmed dead. Jin Kaidou has fully inherited his throne but had left a few days ago without telling anyone where. And there is news from Seredy that Itan Kyouji is missing."

Queen Kinako's scowl dropped a little. "Good."

Yuko looked at her confused. "Good…? I understand about Yoshimitsu Kaidou being dead good to you. But Itan Kyouji…"

"Is one less nuisance." Queen Kinako tossed her head. "Don't think that I don't know the traitorous thoughts that goes through his head. If he is missing, it means that either he ran away or he is dead. I'm leaning more on the latter though."

"I see." Yuko said quietly.

"It doesn't matter anymore." The queen's face twisted into an ugly look. "Soon, I will have the world at my feet."

Yuko tensed at that. "Queen Kinako, I beg of you. Please don't do this. You will have everyone against you and this will lead to more chaos and disorder to what remains of our people!"

Queen Kinako's temper snapped and she backhanded Yuko very hard that she fell down against one of the cannons with a pained gasp.

"I will no longer tolerate your insolence and betrayal!" She shrieked as she hauled Yuko up and threw her across the room. "You went behind my back and told that flute child to steal my children away from me and broke our agreement to keep her away from Lambary! Now you dare oppose me when I will finally get my revenge!?"

Yuko could not answer that as she coughed out blood and winced as her ribs took most of the impact which broke some of them. Queen Kinako casted her a glare and stormed over to the door of the warehouse, not caring if she left Yuko for dead.

"That went well." Yuko mustered out but slummed back against the wall. Moving and speaking hurt a lot so she could only close her eyes and accept the inevitable doom.

'Father, I'm sorry. I failed my duty to protect the royal family.' She thought in despair, thinking that she was going to die there. Unfortunately, an insistent taping on her shoulder made her unable to fall fully unconscious.

"Oh dead." Yuko heard before she felt herself being helped up. She groaned as she realized who it was when she caught a whiff of the signature forest musk smell her red haired apprentice always had.

"About time." She muttered as she felt Reika help her out of the window she snuck in. It still hurt to talk but she could not help it.

"Master Yuko, I couldn't just stay away when you're hurt." Reika managed a smile. Just when she was prepared to head back to Wecasta, she felt the winds telling her something was wrong. Following its guidance, she found herself at the outskirts of Bandit's hideout and hid until she was certain that Queen Kinako was too far away to sense her. And so, that's how she found her mentor left for dead and decided to rescue her.

"When we get back to Wecasta, remind me to never reason with psychopaths." Was the last thing Yuko muttered before Reika transported them back to the Wecasta forest.


	55. Remaining plot lines

**I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS**

 **Author's note: I'm discontinuing this story because although I have the whole story thought up, I don't have the motivation to write it out anymore. So instead, I'm putting the remaining plot lines here so that you can get an idea of how it ends. I'm sorry.**

* * *

· Reika brings Yuko back to Wecasta to be treated

· Yuko then tells her, Muraku and Mia about the truth about Reika's heritage

· Reika is actually one of the heirs to the Lambary throne after Muraku and Mia since she is their cousin but has the highest chance of being selected as the next ruler because she is the child selected by nature

· There is a legend in Lambary that in every generation in the royal family, one heir will be selected by nature to wield its powers, namely, controlling nature at his or her will, transportation from one forest to another

· Mia and Muraku's father was the one selected in the previous generation and Reika is the next one

· Because of this, fearing that Kinako would take measures to get rid of Reika, her mother took her away and left her in Wecasta

· But because of a head injury along the way, Reika could not remember any of this

· Over the years, there were no sign of Reika or her mother until Yuko found her

· Kinako and her had an agreement whereby Yuko can train her to control her powers and defend herself as long as she never sets foot to Lambary

· Reika is badly shocked by this and flees into the forest where Takeru later finds her

· They talk about it and Takeru reassures her that he won't think differently of her in which Reika retorts that he already has by treating her as nothing but a transporter, something Takeru apologizes for

· They reconcile and spend the rest of the day playing with Tuga and Chi

· When Jin and Hana return, they learn about this and Jin tells them that the cannons have a weakness which is the joint of the cannons. If they hit there hard enough, the cannons will automatically fall apart. The weakness was intentionally placed there by Yoshimitsu Kaidou in case they were to be used against them

· Takeru then reveals that he hasn't been able to finish the shields because he cannot find a material that can prevent the shields from rusting

· Thankfully, Mia remembers that there is a metal that was mined a long time ago in Wecasta's territories of Lambary that can be used as coating and prevent other metal from rusting

· And Reika suggests to use leaves to keep the shields wet

· Queen Renneton then gives the order to conduct a large scale mining operation to gather the metal needed

· Reika then enlist the help of Hana, Gouda and Asuka to help her gather leaves in the forest since they are the ones who go into the forest often

· Over the next few weeks, Takeru and other blacksmiths, including Kageto, made the shields while Reika and the others coat them with leaves

· On Lambary's side, Bandit creates more weapons and mass produce the cannons

· Kinako then declares war on Wecasta and tells the queen to meet her at Faribium's Fortress for their final duel

· Queen Wecasta accepts as she believes that this has gone too long unsettled and since they have already completed all the shields, they are ready to set out

· However, Ban asks for Jin, Arata, Muraku and Mia to come with him to confront Queen Kinako while the others lead the battle

· Everyone is worried about this but Yuko says to let them for they deserve it and that she and Reika will also help wherever they can

* * *

 _Battle of Faribium Fortress_

· When the five of them went to confront Queen Kinako at the fortress' tallest tower, Kazu lead the main fighters on a surprise attack on Bandit's position while the army acts as a decoy and engage the main force of Bandit with Takeru's shields

· Up at the tower, Ban tries one more time to reason with the queen but she flies into rage and attacks him only to be backed up by Arata and Jin

· Muraku and Mia wait in the shadows for Ban's signal to corner her

· But when it comes, Mia finds that she could not attack her mother despite everything that happened so Muraku tells her to leave before Kinako spots her

· He leaves to corner her but this only makes her angrier and attacks the group with a powerful swing of her arm which sends them flying

· Outside, Kazu's group attacks Bandit and manages to subdue them and destroy the cannons

· They also capture Seredy which ends the battle between Bandit's forces and the Wecastian army

· Back at the tower, Kinako closes in on Muraku and attempts to strangle him, claiming that his father will be disappointed in him and Mia

· But someone stabbed at her from the back, causing her to release her grip on Muraku, looking around in shock at Mia

· Mia sadly lowers her sword and tells her mother that she is wrong that their father is disappointed in them because she is the one who destroyed everything that her father built

· This was a huge shock to Kinako so she commits suicide by jumping out of the window.

· Mia cries for what she had done with only Muraku comforting her while Ban, Arata and Jin takes care of the clean up

* * *

 _Epilogue_

· Two years after that, Ban is the rightful king of Aradia and the former empire was broken up back to what it was before with the rightful rulers back in place

· Arata had remained in Wecasta as an acting advisor to the queen with Haruki and Hikaru staying with him as well, continuing their duty as his bodyguards; Kazu and Ami have twins: one girl and one boy; Ran and Hiro are a married couple now with him having the privilege to wed them; Takeru and Asuka moved back to Misora with Reika occasionally visiting them from Wecasta

· Jin and Hana on the other hand settled down in the farm house in the middle of nowhere and are having three kids to help them out

· Vanessa, Mikhail, Mike and Kageto moved back to Machila where Vanessa gave birth to a healthy baby girl

· Over at the now recovering Lambary, Mia was doing her best to rule the country with Yuko's help while raising Nana. Muraku continues his travels but tries his best to be there for his sister if things get too pressuring for her

· Bandit had been arrested and trialed, many of them spending the rest of their lives in prison, like Seredy

· All in all, everything was going well for everyone and Ban is more than happy with that.


End file.
